


Beacon Hills

by DamianRuff



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, F/M, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-28
Updated: 2012-08-27
Packaged: 2017-11-13 01:17:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 114,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/497791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DamianRuff/pseuds/DamianRuff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is totally au. Set after season one. Just when they thought they were out of the clear trouble just seems to follow the new girl wherever she goes. Yeah, there's an OC and there's more in later chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm bringing this over from FF.net, so...yeah. This is my baby and I'd love to know what you guys think of it. And don't be gentle, this is my first fic but there are tons more on my computer that I haven't the guts to post.

What the hell was that? Stiles thought to himself as he walked away from Scott and Allison's PDA session in the hallway. Where the hell did that come from? He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts; as soon as he saw Allison run up to Scott in the hallway he felt this weird aching, in his chest, and he had never felt anything like that before.

"Hey, Stiles, wait up!" Scott called making his way to his best friend. "Why'd you walk away like that?"

"I don't know, it looked like you guys were busy."

"Yeah, no, I mean, are you alright? You look a little weird."

"No…I mean yeah! No, I'm fine, just you know, this whole 'hunter' thing is still new to me," said Stiles. "I mean she's really cool and she did help us beat the alpha…Peter, but I'm just weird to this whole hi-I'm-a-werewolf-and-I-date-a-werewolf hunter, thing."

"Dude, I understand that, but she makes me happy and I love her and she loves me. And I trust that she'd never do anything to hurt me and vice versa."

"Yeah…" Stiles said dejectedly. A locker slammed as they came face to face with Jackson and Danny.

"Hello boys, how are you feeling on this wonderful day in Beacon Hills?" Jackson said in a tone that was more than comforting, in fact, it wavered on cocky and conniving. Scott sniffed and Stiles heard it.

"There's something different about you." Scott said with narrowed eyes. Jackson breathed deep and clapped his hands together."It's the promise of a new day! After what happened at Derek's house everything just seems more vibrant and more real! It's like I've got a new lease on life, and I am not going to waste it."

Scott's eyes flicked to Danny, who was looking at Stiles through the corner of his eyes.

"Jackson.," Stiles said in a hushed but serious tone, "what exactly is this 'new lease on life' you talk about?"

Jackson, narrowing his eyes and leaning close to Stiles' face speaking at a volume that only they could hear, "let's just say that I'm going to have a howling good time from here on out." The shorter boys stared intently at the taller boy and only flinched when he yelled for Danny.

"We have business to take care of boys, after all, Scott, you're not the co-captain anymore. Looks like Coach didn't like that crap you pulled at the Formal."

"Crap?" Asked Danny, eyes darting to Scott and then back to Jackson.

"You know I didn't mean it like that. I'm just saying he wasn't supposed to be there in the first place." Jackson said almost defensively.

"Whatever, can we just go? Coach asked us to come before class, and cla_" The bell rang. He looked up in annoyance, "let's just go, I have an economics quiz." The two boys walked down the hall as Scott and Stiles stared after them.

"Do you think…?" Stiles started but couldn't finish because Scott was already nodding."We should go see Derek."

"Can it wait? I have that same economics quiz," said Stiles and then both boys ran to class just as the late bell began to ring.

…

The boys looked up at the charred house, it's broken windows standing out against the charcoal black of the wood paneling. "Why do you think he still lives here? I mean, it can't be good for his already damaged psyche."

"You know he can hear you, Stiles."

"Is that supposed to scare me now because he's an alpha? It didn't scare me when he was a beta and it sure as hell doesn't scare me now."

"You're lying," a voice said from behind them and they both jumped nearly a foot in the air.

"Derek! What the fu.." yelped Stiles trying to catch his breath.

"How did you get behind us like that? I didn't even hear you," Scott got out breathing hard.

"I can't believe you're so jumpy,: he said looking at Scott. "You, on the other hand," he said turning to Stiles, " are a horrible liar. And I didn't need to hear your heartbeat." He looked down at the boys, his intense glare boring into them.

"We need to ask you something," Scott started.

"I know what you're going to ask and the answer is yes." The boys looked at each other, and Stiles started, " Are you telling us what I think you're telling us?"

"That I turned Jackson? Yeah, I'm an alpha now, and every alpha needs a pack."

"How can you say that?" Scott asked incredulously. "After everything that happened with Peter and you go and do this?"

"What can I say, the boy was more than willing. The perfect beta if you ask me, willing to follow my every order. There was desperation and then gratitude, it was delicious actually."

"Okay, I'm gonna stop you right there," Stiles cutting in, "Since when does Jackson take orders from anyone?"

"Since I gave him what he was so determined to get, the bite, and since I gave it he so graciously has to follow everything I say."

"Scott, we should go…there's something not right about him," Stiles said in a hushed tone to his best friend.

"It's so cute of you to think I can't hear you, Stiles. You see, what I want the both of you to understand is, I'm the alpha now and what I say goes. And betas, seeing as how they are not alphas, have to follow everything an alpha says. Seriously, have you guys not seen Animal Planet?"Now, turning to Scott, "I was hoping that you'd decide to join me as my beta, I'd be a better alpha than Peter was anyway and you already come to me enough as it is. Not much would change, except you know, you'd actually have to listen to me now."

"Derek, we're gonna leave now, there's someone we have to check up on," Scott said as he started to follow where Stiles had started inching away.

"Fine,' Derek called after the two boys, "but I'm going to tell you this: I'm not here to hurt you guys, I'm a friend remember? Oh! And Scott, don't forget to ask your girlfriend about her dad's new friends."

"What?" Scott said turning around, but no one was there. Stiles looked at his friend, licking his lips, "we should go, I have to check on Lydia and you're going to call and tell Allison to meet us at the hospital."

…..

"Allison, hi!..No, I'm fine. I need you to meet us at the hospital….Yeah, we're gonna check on Lydia but there's something that I need to talk to you about…Yeah, Stiles and I are already on our way to the hospital…Just meet us there, I'd rather tell you in person." Scott hung up his phone and looked at his friend, eyes intent on the road, "Well…?" Stiles asked, raising an eyebrow but not looking away from the road. "She's gonna meet us there, she just had to talk to her dad first so she might be a while."

"Fine…"Stiles looked at his friend and then back to the road, questioning, "…what do you think Derek meant about asking Allison about 'her dad's new friends?'" Scott, looking out the window and then down at his hands, "I don't know, but I have this feeling that Peter was the least of my worries."

…

The boys stepped off the elevator and looked at the girl laying in the hospital bed, still unresponsive. The doctor's had said that she was improving but couldn't understand why she hadn't woken up yet, on paper she was okay just a little scarring , but she just would not wake up. "Are you okay? Scott looked at Stiles as they stood by Lydia's bedside, looking down at the still strikingly beautiful girl even though she was bandaged and hooked up to machines. Stiles sighed, placing his hand on that of the girl laying in the bed, "I'm fine, just…this is all my fault. If I had just stood up to Peter...maybe…maybe she wouldn't be here, you know? Here in this bed, not waking up, scarred and probably ruined all because I was weak."

"You were not weak," Scott said, looking intently at his friend. "You were not weak, you did what you had to do. If you hadn't told Peter where to find Derek he would have killed her and you. You did what you had to do. She's better in this bed than in a grave, a name added to the list of Peter's victims." Stiles, eyes still trained on the girl he's felt so strongly for since he could remember, murmured to himself, "I should've taken the bite. I could've stopped him."

"You did stop him," Scott interrupted. Exasperated, Stiles breathed out, "I wish you would stop doing that." Scott, looking at his friend with questioning eyes, "what?"

"I wish you would stop doing that." Stiles, walking over and picking up Lydia's chart, "I don't like you phoning in on my thoughts." Scott exhaled, "but you talk out loud to yourself, I can't help it if I overhear." Running a finger over his lips while looking at Lydia's last check up just said, "fine, just…don't say anything, pretend that you don't hear me okay?" They looked up as Allison walked into the room.

"Hi Allison." Scott beamed.

"Hey Allison." Stiles, still distractedly flipping through Lydia's file said.

"Are you guys okay? Did I walk in on something?"

"No, we're good," Scott said reaching for Allison's hands, "we have to ask you something." Allison looked from Scott to back where Stiles was still distractedly reading Lydia's file, hips lips moving as he silently read to himself. "Okay…" she said turning back to Scott, "what is it?"

"Okay, don't take this wrong but_"

"Is your dad still planning on killing Scott?" Stiles interjected. Scott gave him a look that said what-the-hell-dude and turned back to Allison. "Well…?" Stiles added, now looking up at both of them.

Allison, looking shocked at the bluntness of the question."No. As far as I know he hasn't planned to continue to hunt Scott, and I have been listening to him and mom's conversations."

"Okay, well that's nice. Another thing, what's this I hear about your dad having some 'new friends?'" Stiles, looking expectant of an answer blinked at Allison.

"Dude, what the hell, this isn't the Spanish Inquisition." Scott added looking incredulous.

"No, it's fine," Allison said, turning from Stiles to Scott and back again, "my mom did say something about others coming, but that's all I heard. That's all she said."

"Well, which is it? Is it all you heard or id it all she said?" Stiles said placing the file back in it's holder. Scott, standing up finally said, "hey! Leave her alone, she hasn't done anything to you."

"Scott please, it's fine, he's concerned about you, I understand," Allison, taking a step towards Stiles said, "that's all she said. Like I told you, I've been listening in on every conversation I can and she hasn't said anything else about these 'others, but I'm still listening. I even went through some of the family files while they were out this weekend and I couldn't find anything that could lead me to whoever she was talking about." They looked up as a nurse walked into the room.

"I'm sorry, but we only allow two guests at a time."

"It's fine," Stiles said, "I was getting ready to leave anyway. Scott, can Allison take you home, I have to go check something."

"Uh yeah, it's no problem, I can take you home." Allison said turning to Scott.

"Okay, so I'll see you guys. Let me know what the doctor has to say about her, okay?" Stiles said looking back to Lydia from where he was at the door.

"Yeah, no problem man…are you sure you're okay?" Scott said looking concerned for his friend.

"I'm fine, I just have to go see something," he said and walked out the door. Allison and Scott looking at each other and the nurse looking at them feeling the energy in the room.


	2. Chapter 2

None of it makes sense. None of it makes sense!

"What doesn't make sense?"

Stiles jumped from where he was in his locker getting his books for his next class. Closing his locker he turned to Scott with an exasperated sigh, "I told you to stop doing that."

"And I told you that I couldn't help it if I overhear. So, what doesn't make sense?" Scott said with a sly smile.

"Nothing, just some stuff I was looking into after yesterday."

"Does this have anything to do with you going through Lydia's file yesterday and why you left in such a hurry?" Scott asked, fixing his knapsack as the two boys began walking down the hall. "Yes and no. I can't figure out why she hasn't woken up yet, her file said that she should be okay, and judging by the doctor's notes they have no clue as to why she's still asleep," Stiles said with a worry in his voice.

"Do you think it has anything to do with Peter and what happened on the field?" Scott asked, turning slightly to his friend. "That's what I'm hoping it wouldn't have to do with, but from a medical standpoint she should be awake by now. And I was up half the night trolling the forums and sourcing links to find out if anything like this has happened before and as far as I can see, nothing like this has happened before. I don't know what to do," Stiles said, now looking both confused and at his wits end.

"Hey…hey," Scott grabbed his friend's elbow to turning him to face him, "…calm down. We'll figure this out. You were there for me when everything went all Benicio Del Toro and I tried to kill you, so now I'm going to be here for you."

"Thanks man, I just wish I had a clue or something to point me in the right direction…" Stiles looked up to see Jackson walking towards the locker room, "…and I think I just found my clue."

"What...what are you talking about?" Scott looked at Stiles and saw the boy nod his head in the direction of where Jackson had just disappeared around the corner. "Seriously? What would Jackson know about this?"

"More than we do, I'm almost sure of it." Stiles said with a determined tone in his voice walking towards where the other boy had started down the hall.

"But I have…And Allison…And…" Scott gave a frustrated grunt and tightened his grip on his backpack as his followed his friend down the hall.

"So anyway, I told her that big changes were coming for me and I had to cut all the dead weight in my life. It was almost funny to see her try and pretend that she never cared, the poor thing, she looked so hurt."

"It's nice to hear you talk about Lydia that way, Jackson, especially since she's still in a coma."

"Ah, Stiles, I knew you were coming. Can you give us a minute Danny, Stiles and I have something we need to discuss." Danny looked from his friend to Stiles and back again, "sure, I'll um, see you in gym."

"Yeah, I won't be long anyway, "Jackson said giving Stiles a very unsettling smile. Danny looked back at his friend and then at Stiles sensing something more than a friendly air in the room. He closed his locker and walked towards the door only hearing "so, you're Derek's beta now," before he bumped into Scott and yelped in surprise.

"Hey Scott," Danny said with a slight quiver in his voice.

"Hey Danny," Scott looked at his uniform, "on your way to gym?"

"Yeah, we're doing that fitness test today."

"I had heard about that. I also heard a kid passed out because of exhaustion or something. But if you're going to gym, why are you coming this way?" Scott asked with a small smile. "Yeah, I heard he had asthma but the teacher didn't know. He was sent to the nurse's office and had to get taken to the hospital. And I don't know, I just felt like I had to hurry up and get out of there." Danny said, looking a little worried.

"Oh, okay. Well if that doesn't make you want to run back and forth for 45 minutes then I don't know what will…well, good luck Danny."

"Thanks Scott…" Danny began walking away as Scott stood by the locker room door, head cocked to one side as if he were listening, "…hey Scott?"

"Hmm?" Scott, turning to face Danny, arms crossed over his chest.

"Is everything okay with Stiles? I mean with Lydia being in the hospital and all?" Danny asked, looking concerned.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, he's fine. Just a bit too much Adderall is all."

"Okay…" Danny said with skeptical tone, "just take care of him, he looks like he hasn't been sleeping and now I think he has it out for Jackson."

'I will, and don't worry; I can promise you that Stiles doesn't want anything to do with Jackson." Just then they heard a bang and the sounds of scuffling feet and bodies hitting the floor. Both boys ran into the locker room to find Jackson and Stiles on the floor in a fury of fists and fiery words. They ran to break up the fight, Danny grabbing Stiles and Scott grabbing Jackson.

"Calm down! Both of you!" Danny said with an authoritative voice.

"What the hell is the matter with you guys?" Scott, struggling with Jackson yelled at both of them.

"He started it!" Stiles shot at Jackson, not struggling from where Danny had his arms behind his back.

"Yeah? Well you're a sensitive prick!" Jackson spat out, a growl creeping just under his words. Scott's eyes flew wide at what he heard and at what sounded like footsteps approaching. "We have to get out of here!" Scott yelled, looking at Danny, still struggling with Jackson.

"We're should we go?" Danny asked, still holding Stiles firmly.

"Anywhere! Take Stiles, get him out of here. I'm gonna take Jackson out back and see if I can get him to calm down."

"Come on," Danny said, leading Stiles to the exit that leads to the gym.

"Get over here," Scott said, pulling a still furious Jackson out towards the lacrosse field. They made it out just as the two teachers who overheard the ruckus arrived in the locker room.

"Adrian," said one of the teachers, "what's that on the floor?" They both walked over to where a locker was now bent and crouched down to look at something on the floor. "Is that…is that…a finger nail?"

"A claw would be the more accurate term for it," Mr. Harris said picking the nail up off the floor.

"That's not normal."

"What is normal, Mr. Finstock, certainly not you."

"Haha! Yeah well, I do like to sleep with oven mitts on because I get super itchy…Wait! Was that a dig at me," the lacrosse coach asked finally realizing what was said.

"Your powers of perception are as sharp as ever, I see," Mr. Harris said as he pocketed the claw. "We've got some interesting characters here…and I'm not just talking about you."

"I do like to push my boys hard, there's nothing quite like teamwork, you know?"

"I'm sure I do," Mr. Harris said walking out of the locker room.

"Hey Harris…" Mr. Finstock called after him, but didn't get a response, he ran to the door and looked out, the teacher was nowhere in sight.

Danny led Stiles to the bleachers as the fitness guys the school board sent in to conduct the fitness test blew their whistles as the students ran back and forth. Stiles sat down and put his head in his hands. "Want to talk about it?" Stiles looked over to see Danny looking at him, concern evident on his face.

"Talk about what?" Stiles said, putting his head back into his hands and staring at the floor.

"How about we start with Jackson and what happened in the locker room," Danny said, with a patient smile that went unnoticed. "I'd rather not talk about what a huge douche bag Jackson is to his best friend, it's not really a good look for me," Stiles said, eyes never leaving the floor. Danny nudged Stiles with his shoulder causing the other boy to look up, "if it helps, Jackson has changed a lot…especially with how he talks about Lydia."

"So I take it that his now overwhelming stench of undeserved self worth is new to you as well." Stiles said, looking at Danny who offered a small smile. "Yeah, he's changed a lot since the last game before the Formal. Did you know that he had one of Scott's gloves in his gym locker? I thought it was really weird that he kept looking at some holes that were on the tips of the fingers." Stiles nodded, and then stopped, "wait, what," shooting a questioning look at Danny.

"Yeah, he just kept looking at it, it was weird. And he started to go after Allison and dumped Lydia. The dude is whacked; he came to the Formal drunk, I kind of felt bad for Allison. After Scott used me so he could stay at the Formal you could tell she was really happy to have him there. And then you guys just disappeared." Danny said, not really looking at Stiles and focusing his attention on the kids who were now doing some weird run and jump thing. Stiles, looking back at the ground said, "yeah, a lot happened that night."

"I would know, I saw when Jackson came up with Lydia. It was awful, she was bloody and had weird bites all over her and Jackson just looked stunned. It was crazy. I didn't see you guys though; I thought you would've been there seeing as how it's so obvious you like her." Danny now looked back at Stiles who met his gaze. "Are you sure you're okay? You know you can talk to me if you have to…I mean, if there's something you didn't think you could talk to Scott about, I am here you know." Stiles, now avoiding Danny's gaze said in a noncommittal tone, "I don't know what you're talking about." Trying to get Stiles to look at him and failing, Danny finally said, "okay, but now I have to ask, why did you and Jackson end up fighting? Did he say something to you…or, what?"

"Let's just say that he said some things about Lydia that I really didn't like, and I got a little too upset and lost my better judgment. That the answer you wanted to hear, because I'm not gonna say anything else."

"That's fine," Danny said in a dejected tone looking down at his sneakers, "I'm not one to pry or push."

"Calm down!" Scott roared at Jackson who was still seething with fury and growls now dripping from his lips. "You have to control this! You have to relax and control your heart rate!"

"McCall! I've had it with you and your high and mighty attitude! You think you're better than me but you're not! You just had a slight advantage that you don't have anymore!" Jackson glowered baring his now showing fangs. "I was always better than you! And now that I have that one thing you thought you had over me, it pisses you off!"

Scott calming himself said evenly, "Jackson, that's not important right now. Right now, I need you to calm down and try and control yourself." Jackson let out a menacing laugh, "I don't have to calm down! I don't have to do anything I don't want to! You know why, because I'm better! I'm better than all of these losers in this high school! I'm better than these backward morons of Beacon Hills! And most importantly, I'm better than you! And nothing and no one can tell me to do anything!" Just then a flash and Jackson was pinned to the ground.

"Calm down," Derek glared at the boy, eyes unwavering, "calm down."

"Still think it was a good idea to give him the bite, Derek?" Scott asked walking over to where Derek had Jackson pinned to the ground by his shoulders.

"You, shut up!" Derek shot at Scott and turning back to Jackson said, "Control your heart rate. You're going to ruin everything if you lose control right now." Jackson laughed in his face, "You can't tell me what to do!" Derek exhaled evenly, and glared at Jackson with now red eyes and roared in his face. Instantly, Jackson was calm and slack under Derek's weight. "Now I'm going to get up, and you're going to stay calm and act like you have some sense. Yes?" Jackson breathing hard, glared at Derek and then at a slightly amused looking Scott and back before he nodded in agreement. "Good," Derek said getting up and pulling Jackson to his feet.

"Well, it nice to see that you're an adequate Alpha. You sure have me persuaded to be your beta," Scott said sarcastically. "No one asked you for your opinion Scott," Derek countered with an annoyed tone before looking back to Jackson, "where do you have to be?"

"Gym," Scott said before Jackson could answer, "He has a fitness test today, did he tell you?"

"Why would I tell him that, he doesn't own me," Jackson said, his words dripping with hatred.

"Scott, can you take him to class? I'm still supposed to be keeping a low profile seeing as how someone told the County Sherriff that I murdered a janitor," Derek said, eyes narrowing at Scott with the last part.

"Fine, I have to go check on Stiles anyway. I'll give him to Danny and let him deal with…this." Scott gestured to Jackson with his pocketed hands. Derek now turned to Jackson, "you better stay calm, I don't want to have to come back here, not for this." Jackson rolled his eyes and said fine, walking over to Scott. "You two play nice now," Derek said with a smile as he disappeared back into the woods.

"I can't stand you," Jackson said giving Scott a sidelong glare as they walked back to the school. Scott laughed to himself, "that's fine, because I don't like you anyway."

As they walked into the gym Scott and Jackson saw Stiles and Danny sitting on the bleachers. Danny laughed at something Stiles had said and Stiles, spotting Jackson from where he was seated, wiped the smile right off his face. Danny, noticing the sudden change looked to where Stiles was looking and saw a disheveled looking Jackson and smug smile on Scott's face. Danny, getting up walked over to where Jackson and Scott were at the door and asked Jackson, "you okay man, you look a mess."

"Oh, he's fine," said Scott with that smug smile still on his face, "he just needed a refresher course on manners." Danny looked at Scott and then at an annoyed Jackson who rolled his eyes. "Well, whatever. Jackson, we're gonna have to retake the test during our free period, I already talked to the guys with the weird suits." Jackson looked to where a bunch of exhausted kids were slumped against a wall and only a few were still running as the coaches blew their whistles with more speed than necessary. "I told them that there were some personal issues that had to be taken care of, they seemed to understand and told us to come today whenever we have a free period."

"Whatever," Jackson said now looking at Stiles who stood up where he was by the bleachers. Danny looked back to where Stiles was and turned back and caught Jackson's eyes, "leave him alone okay, he's going through a lot right now. And Scott, I think you should talk to him, he really needs a friend right now."

"What do you think I've been doing?" Scott whispered to Danny, "He doesn't tell me much of anything anymore." Danny looked at Scott with pained eyes, "I understand that, just try to be there for him. I don't know what's really going on between you guys but he looks sad now, and I've never seen him look like this before. Just, talk to him okay?" Scott exhaled looking to his side before looking Danny in the eye, "I will."

"Hey Stiles, you ready to go," Scott called over to his friend who was watching them throughout their little exchange.

"Yeah," Stiles said walking over, eyes never leaving Jackson. When he reached them Danny put a hand on his shoulder and said, "It'll be okay Stiles, just take it easy. It's better to give the mind a little rest and let it figure itself out. Relax for a little bit." Stiles looked at him and then down to his feet, "yeah. Thanks." Stiles looked back to where Danny was now reprimanding Jackson as they walked out the gym and Scott throwing an arm over his shoulder.

Scott thought he'd wait until they were on their way home before he'd ask Stiles what was wrong, at least this way they would have time to talk about it without anyone overhearing. "Are you gonna tell me what's wrong, or do I have to tell you what I already know is wrong?" Scott asked looking over to his friend whose eyes were trained on the road and jaw was set tight. "Do you want me to tell you what I overheard in the locker room or would you rather tell me yourself?" Silence.

"…I can't believe he'd say that about Lydia," Stiles said in a hushed tone to himself but knowing that Scott would hear. "She really liked him, and she was just "dead weight" to him? How could someone be so cruel to someone who did everything to make sure he felt good about himself? He doesn't deserve her, he never did. And now she's in a hospital bed hurting in more ways than one and it's his entire fault. And then what does he do? He goes and get's what he wants…what he wanted more than her, more than anything since he first found out about you. After everything he's done, he still ended up satisfied with himself. I can't…I won't let him get away with hurting her. I can't let him get away with this."

"And we won't let him," Scott said, still looking intently at his friend, absorbing everything he was hearing. Stiles, finally looking away from the road, "Scott, I appreciate you wanting to help but this is more personal than me not liking him. He hurt the girl I…I love." Scott looked at his friend, surprised at what he's just heard. And Stiles, finally realizing what he just said turned back to the road eyes wide and swallowed hard, "did I just say that?" Scott, now looking a little amused, nodded with a smile, "yup, and it's about time you said it too."

"Hey Allison...Yeah, I'm sorry about that, some stuff happened today and I kinda had to leave early….No, I'll be there tomorrow…"

Stiles looked over from his computer to his friend who now laid splayed on the bed talking softly into the phone.

"Yeah…?" Scott giggled to himself and Stiles rolled his eyes and turned back to his computer. "Is that and invite to come over later?" Okay, that's enough. "Scott, tell her you have homework to do," Stiles said getting up from his computer and walking over to get something out of his book bag.

"Since when do you care homework Stiles?" Scott asked, holding the phone to his chest. Stiles, gesturing with his hand, "When my best friend decided to start jonesing on the phone in my room."

"Whatever man," Scott said returning to his phone call with Allison. Stiles shook his head and looked around the room before noticing something. "Hey Scott," he whispered, and Scott looked at him with the phone still held to his ear, "not to be alarmed or anything but…" and he held up his hand in a way to show off his nails. When Scott didn't get it Stiles, mouth drawn in a tight line directed his eyes to Scott's hand. Scott, finally catching on looked at his hand and then realized what Stiles meant. "Hey Allison, I have to go…No, it's no big deal, I'll call you back later," and hung up the phone. Stiles looked at his friends and then said, "I don't know how I feel knowing what your claws showing means." Scott, looking slightly embarrassed cleared his throat and tried to busy himself with his books and Stiles went back to his computer.

"You know…"

"No I don't and I don't want to." Stiles cut in before Scott could finish his thought.

He looked around in the dim moonlight breathing hard, his breath appearing as clouds in front of his face. Snap! He looked behind him, something darted between two trees. Snap! Another twig broke in front of him this time. He got to his feet, hands searching for purchase on the ground, fingers gripping leaves and clods of dirt as he tried to climb up a hill and to what he hoped would be safety. A howl came from behind him, it sounded a ways away. A small flash of hope crossed his mind, maybe he would get out of here. A branch fell from a tree nearby and hit the ground with a heavy thud. Another howl, this one closer...too close. The sound of feet…no, paws thundering against the ground just to his left getting closer and then dying away and then suddenly appearing again at his right. He had to get out of here! Running with all his might he ran into a gathering of trees, maybe he could camouflage himself in the trees. A rock hit the tree just behind his head, fear crept up his spine. Scrambling through the trees, he just had to get back to his car he should be okay then. Where was he? He couldn't stop. A growl in his right ear, close enough that he could feel the hot breath emanating from the jowls of the beast. Cold sweat trickled down his face. Where was his car? He couldn't breathe now. How long had he been running, it seemed like forever. There! He spotted his car, just behind the barrier; he just had to get over there. A few more feet, he laughed to himself, he had made it. A snarl and the tearing of flesh, he fell to the ground, his ankle in searing pain. He looked with fear clouded eyes that met two fiery red pupils and some glowing yellow eyes. No, not like this! Not here! Not now! A roar and the beasts began bearing down, saliva dripping from their fangs. "Scott! It's me! Stiles, remember? Your best friend! Scott!" A pair of teeth gnashed at his throat.

A scream pierced the night air.

"So Stiles, did you get any sleep last night?" Scott asked leaning on the locker next to Stiles'. "Surprisingly yes, I took Danny's advice and actually relaxed last night, I can't remember the last time my dad and I played cards together." Scott smiled at his friend, "that's good, are you ready for the chemistry quiz Harris has been hinting at all week?"

"Not even close, I'm nowhere near being ready. And it sucks because I'm sure he has my dad convinced that I might need to see someone about special education," Stiles said looking a little distressed.

"Eh, I'm sure you'll do fine. You pay more attention than I do anyway, and if you helping me with any of this wolf stuff is any indication I'm sure you'll at least leave with a B," Scott paused before correcting, "B minus, maybe." The boys were so caught up in their worries that they didn't notice the girl in the black coat that had walked up to them. They both jumped when they finally noticed her. "You're Stiles right?" The girl asked not looking up from where she had her books clutched to her chest, her dark hair covering her eyes.

"Uh, yeah…?" Stiles said, unsure if this might be a bad thing and generally a little put off by the girl. Scott, looked at Stiles and then back to the girl a puzzled look playing across his face.

"Here," the girl shoved a piece of paper at him. Stiles looked at it eyes widening when he realized, "hey, these are the answers to_" He looked up but the girl was nowhere to be found. "Well, thanks," he said dropping the hand with the answer sheet to his side looking around the hall for any sign of the girl.

"Who was that?" Scott asked reaching for the paper in Stiles hand, "and how does she have the answers to Harris' chemistry quiz?" Stiles, still looking for the dark haired girl said, "I don't know, but I want to thank her."

""Hey guys," Allison said walking up to them with a smile on her face and gave Scott a kiss as Stiles took the paper back from him. "Are you guys okay, you both look really weird." Scott, looking back to Stiles who was memorizing the answers on the sheet of paper, "yeah, we just had some really weird girl run up to us with the answers to Harris' chemistry quiz." Allison gave a little laugh and said, "I didn't take you guys as cheaters."

"We're not," Stiles said, still looking at the paper, "but we don't turn down an open hand when it's offered." Stuffing the paper in his book bag, "you guys ready for the quiz?" They both looked at Stiles with looks that question his sanity as he walked behind them throwing an arm over each of their shoulders and leading them towards the chemistry lab, "let's go get this over with so you two love birds can worry less about Harris and focus more on how you guys are going to spend your Friday night together." Scott, looked at Stiles and said, "you do realize it's only first period right?" Stiles smiling at both of them said, "of course, but I'm hopeful that this Friday will go by without any crazy," and they all walked into the chemistry lab.

From around the corner, a dark haired girl watched them and had been listening to their whole conversation. Pulling her books closer to her chest and moving her hair out of her face, she walked down the hall and into her English class.

"There's a new Alpha, and his name is Derek Hale." Mrs. Argent said to a group of bodies, clad in varying forms of black, leather and denim. "My husband has gone soft to the idea of killing him because he saved his life and that of the life of my daughter from his uncle, Peter Hale."

"Peter Hale," one of the hunters spoke up from the group, "I thought he was killed in that fire?"

"It appears that you thought wrong. He survived," she now spoke to the group again. "He healed himself. It is my understanding that the process was slow and took over a period of six years but he survived and none the less he was still an Alpha. He had an accomplice in the hospital, it is unclear if he had more than one but they will more than likely be human. If any of them should come out of the works they are not to be harmed. There is also a Beta, he is named Scott McCall and goes to Beacon Hills High School along with his friend Stiles Stilinski and my daughter. There is also another boy who's named Jackson Whittemore, it is unclear whether or not Jackson is a beta but it has been confirmed that he has been scratched. These children are not to be openly attacked, it is still of the utmost importance that we remain hidden."

"Madam Argent," the same hunter spoke up once again. "You say that your daughter is friends with this Beta, but it has been rumored that they may have a more romantic relationship. How are you allowing this? This goes against the Code your ancestor set for The Hunters centuries ago." Mrs. Argent now looked across the group as voices muttered about what has just been said, her calm wavered only slightly but it was quickly repaired.

"This is true," she said, gaining control of the group once again. "And I can assure you, my daughter's loyalty lies with The Hunters." Another hunter spoke up this time, "how can you be so sure when Chris, one of our greatest hunters has grown a soft spot for the mutt and you're daughter actively defies the code by dating a werewolf? And let's not forget Kate who burned any reverence for the code when she burned down that house that had innocents in it?"

"I will not stand for this heresy! For you to doubt my authority is for you to doubt your very existence. If you feel so inclined to question me stand forward and prove yourself like all the hunters before you!" Mrs. Argent glared down and the hunter who had defied her and her family. "Well…" she said raising an eyebrow in his direction. The hunter slowly moved back into the group, shaken with embarrassment. Mrs. Argent now raised her voice and enunciated clearly so that she would not be mistaken, "If anyone feel the need to question my authority or my family speak now and have your head served on a platter at the next slaying, or hold your tongue and remember who it was who had slain La Bete du Gevaudan!"

To be continued…

I'd like to know what you guys think about this chapter. I really took the reviews from the first chapter to heart and tried to make the story flow a bit easier, and more reviews are welcomed.

Also, I like the idea of Mrs. Argent being like a matriarch to the hunters; I really get this feel from her that she's a no nonsense mofo and her having that control over the group just seems fitting.


	3. Chapter 3

So I have Economics and then English. Then I have gym and Chemistry with creepy Mr. Harris who has it out for me I'm sure. It's not my fault that he left the sulfuric acid out with the potassium nitrate, I mean, how was I supposed to know that would happen if I mixed them together? I have a paper due for History that I wrote on the economic downfall of America. Then lunch…sweet, sweet lunch, with Scott and Allison whom I'm convinced has become one person…

"Scott's going to kill you."

…and then Scott's going to kill me and then I have to deal with Jackson and the other guys at practi_ wait, what?

Stiles looked up from where he was mumbling to himself in his locker, he was sure he had heard a voice. He looked around, hoping to see whom the voice may have come from, but with all the students milling about the hall it was hard to tell. Looking confused, he went back to organizing his books for the day in his locker.

"Be careful," the voice whispered again this time it was as if the person was right next to him. He looked up before the last syllable could escape from the phantom lips but saw nothing. He was really unnerved now; he threw his economics and English textbooks in his bag and walked to class a bit too quickly to appear casual, looking over his shoulders every few steps.

But what he didn't see was a girl with a long black coat and dark hair walking around the corner fingering her necklace.

Stiles took his seat in his economics class behind Scott; he was shaken and jittery with nerves as he looked around the room in a personal swirl of panic. "Are you okay," Scott asked, turning in his chair to face his friend.

Stiles, not really looking at Scott answered, "Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine just a little…"

Scott looked at his friend waiting for him to finish his thought, realizing that wasn't going to happen Scott asked, "are you gonna tell me about this later or is this going to be one of those things that I have to find out by eavesdropping?" Stiles looked at his friend when Mr. Finstock called the class to order by throwing a book at the back wall of the classroom.

"Good," Mr. Finstock said clearing his throat, "now that I have your attention; Timothy, can you pick that book up and read from chapter three?"

"So are you going to tell me why you've been so jumpy all day?" Scott asked as both boys sat their trays down on a cafeteria table. Stiles apparently didn't hear him and continued to look around the cafeteria. "Stiles," Scott almost yelled finally getting his friend to pay attention to him, "what's wrong with you?"

Stiles, not really looking at Scott but over his shoulder said, "I'm fine just…I don't know, something just feels weird about today."

"Well," Scott said expectantly, "you can talk to me. We do deal with weird on the daily basis, hell; I'm the walking definition of weird. What's going on?"

Stiles looked at his friend and then over his shoulder before saying in a hush voice, "I heard a voice this morning…I think it was in my head because no one was near enough for it to sound so close to my ear."

Scott laughed, "Is that all? Dude, you hear voices on the daily basis. What's so weird about this one?" Stiles gave his friend a dark look, causing Scott to get that this wasn't something to laugh at. Leaning in closer to Stiles, Scott asked in an almost whisper, "is it that serious? What did the voice say?" Stiles didn't get to respond as Allison walked up with a dark haired girl following behind her. Stiles and Scott steeled when they recognized the black coat.

"Hey…" Allison said looking from the boys back to the dark haired girl behind her, "are you guys okay? Why is it that every time I walk into you guys you both look like you've just been discussing the latest topic at a Free Mason meeting?"

The boys looked at each other and then back to Allison, Scott was the first to speak up as Allison took a seat next to him who then offered the seat next to Stiles to the mysterious girl, "uhhhh, no, we were just talking about…"

"Girls," Stiles added sensing his friend was at a loss for words.

"Yeah, we were talking about girls," Scott added, "We love girls. Well…I love a girl," Scott said the last bit putting his arm around Allison's waist pulling her colder to him.

Allison giggled, nudging a bit closer to Scott. "Speaking of girls," she said gesturing to the dark haired girl whose nose was now buried in a thick book, "this is my friend Morgan, she's new here and the principal thought it'd be nice for me to show her around, since I was the new kid here. Morgan, this is Scott and this is…"

"Stiles Stilinski, I know." Morgan said, looking up quickly to where the boy at her left and then back to her book.

Stiles looked at Scott who just shook his head as if to say I don't know. "So guys," Allison said, either ignoring or completely oblivious to the energy at the table, "did you hear about how almost everyone failed Mr. Harris' chemistry exam?" The boys perked up remembering what had happened not a few moments before they went for the actual test. "Yeah," Allison said continuing," apparently only two people had perfect scores. Morgan here and one Mr. Stiles Stilinski," Allison said with a huge grin on her face as she licked applesauce off of her spoon.

"Wait! What?" Stiles said jumping from the table cheering and punching a fist in the air before he remembered why he passed and sat back down. He exhaled composing himself as he turned to Morgan, "you gave me the answers to his quiz." Morgan steeled and didn't look away from her book as she felt eyes watching her.

"What?" Allison said with a small laugh. "How did you get the answers, you started not even two days ago?" Morgan looked up, fear in her eyes at all of the sudden attention.

"Umm…umm..uh..umm." She stammered, before getting up and muttering about how she had to go talk to her English teacher about something a fleeing from the cafeteria.

"What?" Stiles asked looking confused as he bit into his taco, "did I say something wrong?"

"I don't think it was you," Scott said looking back to his friend from where the girl disappeared out the door in a flurry of dropped school notes.

"I still don't see why you had to pick up her notes." Stiles said gesturing with his hands as he and Scott walked down the hallway.

"I don't know, after Allison left to go check up on Morgan I didn't feel right just leaving them there," Scott said with a shrug. "Hey, isn't that her over there?" Scott asked pointing to where the girl stood with her head in her locker.

"Are you sure? I mean, I'm sure there are tons of girls walking around here with big black boots and a long black coat. Seriously, she could just be another Jane Slayer." Stiles said apprehensively.

"Stop that," Scott said walking away from his friend. "Hey Morgan," he called when he was almost at the girl who was busying herself in her locker. "Hey, here you go," Scott said offering the notes up to the girl.

Morgan looked from her locker and her eyes flooded with fear as she looked Scott in the eye. She was stunned still. "Hey," Scott said looking concerned at the girl, "are…are you okay?" The girl snatched her notes away from Scott and gave him a look so intense it caused Scott to back away slowly and right into Stiles. They watched as Morgan closed her locker and walked away from them, shoulders hunched and glaring over her shoulders.

"Well, that wasn't creepy," Stiles said sarcastically.

"She looked really scared of me…do you think she knows about me?"

"Scott seriously, the odds of some new random girl knowing about you being a werewolf is so ridiculously slim that I can't even begin to think of a fraction for it," Stiles said looking up and shaking his head for emphasis.

"Yeah…" Scott said still looking at where Morgan had walked off, "ridiculous."

"Good, now that we're clear on that can we go to practice? I kinda have this feeling that I might get to start for the next game and I really need to play," Stiles asked putting emphasis on the word 'really.'

"Okay boys, our last game was fine but I really want more of you guys to start pulling your own weight. Jackson and Scott can't do it all you guys. Hell, even Danny boy over here is killing it over at the goal post!" Coach Finstock said the last part cuffing Danny behind the neck. "Listen you guys, this is all circumstantial, we're already promised an in at state so just go out there and work on your form. McCall, Jackson, I want to see more teamwork from you two! I'm not running a ballet out there for Christ's sake." As all the boys began to pour out onto the field, "Biles," Finstock called after Stiles.

"He's talking to you," Scott said whispering to his friend as they were walking to the door.

"I know," Stiles said back before turning to face his Coach. "Yes Coach," Stiles asked gesturing slightly with his lacrosse stick.

Finstock looked at the boy before pointing to the bench next to him, "have a seat; I need to talk to you real quick." Stiles exhaled as he sat down hanging his head slightly. "You okay, Balinski, you weren't at the last game and then everything that happened with the Martin girl? Something you wanna talk about?"

"No Coach," Stiles said looking up but not really looking him in the eyes.

"You sure, because I had you as starter for the first time ever and you just don't show up. Naturally I 'm going to think something's wrong," Finstock said crossing his arms and leaning against a locker.

"Yeah," Stiles said in a noncommittal tone, "I was just…busy."

"Busy enough that you couldn't tell your dad? He asked about you, you know," the Coach said giving the boy a disapproving look. "Listen, I know you're having a hard time…I'm your economics teacher after all. You're a bright kid Stiles, a little weird but still bright. Don't let whatever this is that you're going through ruin your future, you're one of the only kids I see actually leaving this town and doing something with his life."

Stiles looked up at his Coach, "thanks Mr. Finstock."

"Now listen, I'm gonna let you start for State, but I want to see some hustle out there from you. This is practice; now prove to me how badly you want to start! I'm sure your dad would love to see you out there," Finstock said leaning off of the locker.

Stiles stood up and looked at his coach gratitude in his eyes, "thanks Coach." Stiles walked out of the locker room and out onto the field, he was going to do this, not just for him but for his dad.

"Hey Scott, what do you say we make practice a bit more interesting," Jackson said with a smirk plastered on his face. "You know, we could…wolf things up a bit, get a real feel for our powers."

"Jackson," Scott said in a patient tone, "you know as much as I do how bad an idea that is. Especially since you can't even control yourself, almost taking Stiles head off in the locker room the other day, what was that about?"

"Oh! He hasn't told you," Jackson asked with that smirk still on his face, "Well, let's just say I told him how useless Lydia was to me. She wasn't good for much beside a good…job." If Stiles had heard what Scott had now heard he would've fought him too, Jackson was a douche and he loved that about himself. Scott tightened his fists just as Stiles ran up to him, instantly calming him down.

Stiles looked at Jackson and then to Scott whose body was still tense. "Stiles," Jackson said acknowledging the other boy before walking off to go talk to the coach.

"I see why you fought him." Scott said in a low voice turning his body to face Stiles but still keeping his eyes on Jackson.

"Yeah…" Stiles exhaled before pulling Scott over to the stands and whispered, "are you gonna be okay today? I know he's infuriating but Coach is going to let me start still and I don't want anything to screw this up, I have to get to play at State, Scott." Stiles kept his eyes on his friend waiting for him to respond.

Finally, Scott breathed out before turning to his friend, "alright, but after this can we at least corner him in the woods or something? I really want to give him a piece of my mind."

"And I'm okay with that," Stiles said nodding, making sure to keep eye contact with his friend, "but right now, I need to prove to Coach that he can trust me to start at State."

"Fine," Scott said shaking his head a little, "fine, let's just get out there and do this."

"Hey Morgan," Allison said as both girls were sitting in the library studying for an upcoming History exam, "can I ask you something?" Allison put down her pencil and looked over to where the dark haired girl's face was covered by her hair.

"Ummm…okay?" Morgan said, still a little apprehensive about Allison even though the girl has shown no reason for her not to trust her.

"Can you tell me why you ran at lunch the way you did?" Allison looked at the girl with her full attention. The dark haired girl didn't give an answer instead she reached out and grabbed Allison's necklace. Allison jumped a little at the girl's sudden movement but calmed when the girl started talking in a whisper that was almost hard to hear.

"I know what you are. I know what your family does. I know what Scott is. I know about Jackson and your aunt. I know about your dad and your mom. I know about Derek Hale and Peter. I know everything."

Allison grabbed her necklace back and began gathering her things shaking as she did so, "we're done here. I have to go do something and I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Allison," the girl stopped in her tracks where she was walking away from the girl, a chill running down her spine at the next thing the girl said in a cold tone, "he's going to kill this time."

Allison ran out of the library in a flurry of nervousness and urgency, her mind reeling with questions she wasn't prepared to ask.

Morgan gathered her things, clutching her books to her chest and fingering the garnet crystal that hung from a silver chain around her neck as she walked into the hall muttering to herself.

"Scott! Scott, when you get this message I need to talk to you! It's important, bring Stiles too! Meet me at Derek's house, he should know about this." Allison hung up her phone as she closed the door to her car.

"Allison! I got your call, what's wrong," Scott asked barging into Derek's house and walking into the remains of the living room where Derek and Allison stood, Allison looking worried.

"Hello Scott," Derek said coolly. "Stiles."

"It's nice to see you again too Derek," Stiles said closing the door and walking into the living room. "Been out chasing any rabbits…people…your tail, maybe?"

"It's a wonder I let you live this long, Stilinski. I really should have done more than slam your head into your steering wheel for what you did with Danny," Derek said moving a little closer to Stiles.

"Yeah…? I'd do it again if it meant that I could save my friends from a psycho Alpha." Stiles spat the last word out, moving just a little closer to Derek, he was damned if he'd let this tool intimidate him.

"Can you guys stop!" Scott yelled, jumping in between them. "We have to remember why we're here," he paused, and looking over his shoulder to Allison asked, "Why are we here exactly?"

Allison walked over and leaned on a very dusty table before saying, "it's Morgan, she knows." Everyone stopped and turned to her, Allison looked up to see three pairs of questioning eyes looking at her.

"Who's Morgan," Derek asked to the group of kids.

Stiles looked at Scott who spoke up, "she's a new girl at school."

Allison, continuing "…she transferred mid-semester. Her family had to move from somewhere, she wouldn't tell me though, it was one of the reasons I kinda felt so close to her. I'm used to having to move, to just have to uproot myself completely and leave everything for somewhere I didn't really know about."

"And she's a total weirdo!" Stiles exclaimed flailing his arms.

"Okay…" Derek said still not getting the answer he was hoping for, "what does she know then?"

They all turned to Allison who simply said, "…everything."

Confused glances were shared throughout the room before Stiles finally spoke up, "you mean she knows everything," Stiles asked exaggerating the syllables of the last word. Allison nodded.

"Wait, how would she know everything? I mean, she just got here and nothing has really happened since she's been here," Scott said looking at Allison, not really expecting a clear answer.

"Allison, what exactly happened, how did she tell you she knew everything?" Derek asked giving Allison a patient look. Allison exhaled and told them exactly what was said and how it happened.

"Maybe she's just fishing," Scott said, not willing to believe that someone could just come along and know everything.

"Yeah, she was probably just pulling your leg to get a rise out of you and that's what you gave her," Stiles said running his hand through his short, cropped hair.

Derek shook his head, "I don't think so, something about this just doesn't seem right. She couldn't have known everything, I mean Allison just now found out about Jackson so…" Derek walked around the room, holding a hand to his chin in a way that indicates thinking.

"She did seem scared of Scott in the hall when he tried to give her the notes she dropped at lunch today," Stiles offered.

"Yeah," Scott now added, "she looked like she had just seen a monster or something. And then the way she stalked off…it was like she was waiting for me to attack or something. But I still don't see how she would know…and you said she told you I would kill?"

Allison nodded, "yeah, it was like she knew it as an absolute fact. Her voice was cold and heartless like she had seen it already, like something had taken everything out of her to remember."

Stiles looked up in an aha moment, "maybe she's a psychic?" They all gave him questioning looks as he continued, "Hear me out, I mean with you and Scott being werewolves and Allison coming from a legacy of werewolf hunters, maybe she really is a genuine psychic."

"That would make sense," Derek said leaning off of the table and walking over to Allison who was standing by Scott. "This girl, Morgan, did you get a last name from her or something, anything that we could use to find out more information about her?"

Allison shook her head, "no, she doesn't talk much and she really doesn't talk about herself."

"Scott, you picked up her notes right, did you see anything on there?" Derek asked looking at Scott now.

"No, she just put her first name down on her papers," Scott offered up unhelpfully.

"Tomorrow, I need you guys to try and get something…anything; we need to find out more about this girl." Derek said looking at the faces of the teens that stood before him.

"Well I won't be any help, she can't look at me without running in fear," Scott said.

"And she probably won't talk to me anymore." Allison looked up realizing something, "she did seem to be fond of Stiles though." Stiles looked up at the sudden mention of his name; he was busying himself with Google on his phone.

"What?" He looked up with a finger in his mouth from biting his nails.

Derek walked over to him making sure to keep eye contact, "you're going to talk to Morgan for us tomorrow. We need to know more about her and from what Allison just said she seems to like you. We need something; try and get a last name or see if you can get her to talk about her family or where she came from."

"Uh yeah, hi, did we forget about how I said she's a total weirdo? Or did I forget to mention that she creeps me out more than you do…no offense, and I'd really like to stay as far away from her as possible." Stiles said in what he hoped was an assertive tone.

Derek grabbed Stiles by the collar of his jacket talking directly into his face, "you're going to do this because this girl can ruin everything for us. You're also going to do this because like it or not, you are a big part of this little…family, we have and family takes care of each other. Besides, you owe me for using me as a bribe for your friend Danny and for setting the entire Beacon County police department out for my head."

Stiles looked at Derek grimacing at the pinch of the clothes on his chest. "Fi…fine," he sputtered, "whatever, I'll talk to her. Now let me go." Derek let go of Stiles' jacket and the boy brushed himself off. "Just so you know, you could really use a Tic-Tac."

"There's another we have to worry about, Madam Argent." A figure said from the shadows of the parking complex.

Mrs. Argent made sure she put her groceries away in the truck before answering the voice of one of her shadowed informants. "What is it," her voice never losing its calm collectedness that was her trademark.

"A psychic, she's just a girl but powerful enough to have seen us coming." The voice said, in a hushed monotone.

"Is that right," Mrs. Argent asked raising an eyebrow from where she had yet to turn to the voice.

"She goes to Beacon Hills with your daughter and that teen wolf of hers. She could present a big problem for us if they were to befriend her."

"Well we'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen," the hunter matriarch said with a smile creeping across her lips. "Go, and see if you can find anything else on this psychic, I expect to hear from you before the week is out," Mrs. Argent said with finality and the figure disappeared blending in with the shadows surrounding it. The Argent matriarch got in her car, smiling as she applied a coat of lipstick in her rearview mirror, "and I thought this was going to be boring."

"Dad," Scott called walking through the front door of his house. He heard the sound of the tv on in the living room.

"In here, kiddo," Stiles followed the sound of his dad's voice and found his father sitting on the couch in front of the tv.

Stiles smiled, "hey dad, you're not at the station tonight?"

Mr. Stilinski breathed out and turned to look at his son, "uh yeah, since all the killings have stopped there's not much else going on in Beacon Hills aside from the occasional cat in a tree."

Stiles dropped his bag and walked over to take a seat next to his dad on the couch, "well it's good to have you home…did you eat?" Stiles looked over, the glow of the television lighting up the left side of his face.

"Uh yeah," his father said eyes still on the tv screen. Stiles giving his father an expectant look but receiving nothing in favor of his father still watching the tv. "Stiles," Mr. Stilinski said in his now authoritative voice, "are you still talking to that Derek Hale?"

Stiles blanched and swallowed hard before sputtering, "wha…what…no. Why would you…why would you even ask that," a nervous laugh escaping Stiles' lips as he rubbed a hand over his head and down his neck looking any which way but at his father.

"You're lying," his father said in a tone that was less than joking, he softened a little seeing how flustered Stiles became. "Its fine, I won't get mad at you. Tell you the truth, I don't think it was Derek anyway, he just doesn't seem like the type to do something like that." Stiles laughed nervously still, a hand coming up to rub his neck again.

"Tomorrow I'll go and clear his case, after we found out that that Kate girl was behind the house fire, and since it appears that whatever that was…the wolf that killed Laura Hale, seems to have gone there's not much else we can hold him for." Mr. Stilinski paused and exhaled running a hand over his head before he said, "I guess we'll have to send away those out of state guys that we called in."

Stiles perked up at that last part, "'out of state guys?' What out of state guys?"

"Oh you know the ones; they sent in those guys that you saw me with at the school. They brought more guys in after the incident at the school with the mountain lion, apparently they thought we were unprepared to handle this," Mr. Stilinski gestured to nothing in particular. Stiles eyes widened at what he just heard, making a connection to what Morgan had said earlier and something Derek had mentioned. "Whoa, buddy, you okay," Mr. Stilinski said noticing the change in Stiles.

"Uh yeah," Stiles said, "just remembering something I heard earlier."

"Well alright…is there something you want to talk to me about," his father asked with a concerned look.

"What? No, I'm fine," Stiles turned to face the tv after hearing a high pitched whine emanate from the screen. "What are we watching?"

"I don't know, something about a CIA dad," Mr. Stilinski said shaking his head with a laugh and picking up the remote to turn the tv.

"So you're going to talk to Morgan today right," Scott asked walking with Stiles in the school hallway.

"Yeah," Stiles said in a tone that was less than enthusiastic.

"There she is," Scott said leading Stiles by the shoulders in the direction of where the girl was sitting in the hall going through her notes.

Stiles pushed against Scott nervously saying,"what? No, not now! I can't talk to her now, I'm not ready yet."

"Too late," Scott said as he pushed Stiles to where Morgan sat with her nose in her English notes.

Morgan looked up as a shadow came across her notes, her breathing hitched a little when she noticed that Stiles was standing over her.

"Hey," Stiles said in a soft voice trying not to scare her.

"You don't have to talk to me like that," Morgan said in a clear voice putting her notes away and standing clutching her books to her chest. Stiles blinked and stepped back a little in a bit of surprise. "I know that Allison told you guys what I told her, and I was counting that they'd send you to come talk to me." Stiles was completely shocked at what he was hearing, he looked back at Scott who just shrugged hearing all of this. Morgan looked to where Stiles was looking at Scott before she said, "tell your little wolf friend to stop eavesdropping, it's not polite." Scott colored to his scalp, and Morgan laughed silently to herself before turning her attention back to Stiles.

"You don't have any class this period; I need to tell you something. Tell Scott that if he wants to know anything he better mind his business for the next 45 minutes." Stiles swallowed hard before turning to Scott who just put his hands up and walked away. Stiles turned back to Morgan who was now standing at the end of the hall and gesturing with a nod for him to follow her.

Stiles walked out onto the empty lacrosse field and found Morgan standing at the edge of the woods. She stayed only long enough to make sure he saw her before she walked into the trees and disappeared.

Stiles picked his way through the trees following the sound of snapping twigs and crunching leaves getting a view of the girl every now and then. He stopped and looked around him, which way did she go?

"You really need to stop talking to yourself." Stiles jumped as the voice appeared behind him. He turned to face the girl, eyes looking around in utter confusion.

"How did you get behind me, you were in front of me not even thirty seconds ago," Stiles asked a bit out of breath.

Morgan laughed before cutting to the point, "So you want to know how I know everything I do, and I'm pretty sure you've already given yourself the answer to that question."

Stiles blinked, "well, are you a psychic?"

"Don't ask stupid questions; ask what I know you really want to know the answer to."

Stiles swallowed before he asked this next question, "You said Scott was going to kill…who is he going to kill?"

Morgan laughed to herself as she walked in a circle around Stiles, "that's the question I wanted to hear. Think about it Stiles, who's always there when he gets a little too out of control? Who's there all the time, period?" Stiles spun in a circle trying to follow where Morgan was.

"Could you stop walking in a circle? You're making me nervous," he said a little too loudly.

"I'm not the one that's making you nervous Stiles," Morgan said stopping just inches from the boy's face. Stiles leaned back at the close proximity. "I saw him kill you," Morgan whispered now, looking at Stiles lips.

"I don't believe you," Stiles said with a shaking voice.

"Oh don't you? You know, I may not be a werewolf but I can tell when you're lying. And you are a big liar," Morgan said leaning away from Stiles and walking behind him running a hand over his chest. Stiles squirmed away from her touch. "Aww, c'mon Stiles, you can't still be afraid of me. I'm not here to hurt you, I'm here to protect you actually…besides, it'd be a shame to mess up such a cute face," she said in mock baby talk as she pinched his cheek. She walked away from him and started to circle a tree, running her had on the soft bark of the oak tree her black coat swaying a bit in the breeze. Stiles noticed what sounded like a low hum just behind the noise of the chirping birds and rustling leaves in the wind. He looked up as Morgan began to speak again walking slowly towards him.

"I saw it you know…how he kills you. I felt your fear as he chased you through the woods…the cold dirt between your fingers as you scrambled up a hill. I felt the fear and dread that pierced through your heart at the howl you heard…how your legs got weak when you heard the sound of feet pounding the earth beside you in the dim of the moonlight. His piercing yellow eyes as he and Derek closed in on you…" she was beside him now and she whispered the last part in his ear, "the tear of flesh as his teeth dug into your neck."

"Enough!" Stiles yelled, causing the girl to slink away behind a tree.

"You know he's going to do it," her voice came from what seemed like everywhere. "You've always known. I'm just here to make sure you don't end up as your friend's first victim." Her voice was in his ear now, he could almost feel her lips against his ear, "besides, you're too valuable to let die." He turned quickly to where the voice just was but Morgan was already gone, he was left standing in the woods confused and scared.

"Don't you ever leave me alone with her again," Stiles said in a fury as he walked down the hallway with Scott following behind him. Allison looked up to see Stiles' brow furrowed and jaw set tight with Scott walking behind him, she closed her locker and began to follow them as they passed her.

"What's wrong," she whispered to Scott looking concerned at the state Stiles was in.

"He just got done talking with Morgan but he won't tell me what she said."

"Should we go see Derek," Allison asked hoping to be helpful.

"Fine," they looked up to where Stiles had just spoken not looking at them but hearing their conversation.

"So we're gonna go then," Scott asked looking at Stiles.

The boy didn't respond he just spoke to Allison eyes still trained ahead of him, "Allison, can you take Scott to Derek's house? I want to be alone on the way there."

"Are you sure that's a smart thing to do," Allison asked not really liking the answer she got next.

"Its better I be alone then with someone who's going to kill me." They both froze as Stiles walked out the door and got into his Jeep.

"What did he just…Stiles," Scott said looking at Allison before running out the door only getting a glimpse of Stiles' Jeep as it disappeared down the road behind the trees. Allison walked up next to him with her keys in her hand.

"We better get to Derek's house, and fast."

They all looked at Stiles in stunned silence at what they had just heard; Derek looked angry, Allison's eyes wide in shock, and Scott head hanging down hurt at what he just heard.

"That doesn't mean anything Stiles," Derek said breaking the silence that lay heavy on the burned living room.

"Easy for you to say Derek, you're going to help kill me," Stiles said bitterly.

"Could you stop saying that," Scott yelled, "no one is going to kill anyone!" Stiles rubbed his hands over his face walking away from the circle they had gathered in.

"Stiles," Allison said in a soft voice taking a step over to where the boy was freaking out silently to himself.

"No, don't say anything okay, I just need to think a little bit. Just let me…think."

"Stiles this isn't the time for you to be alone and keep all this to yourself, what's going on? I know you have some sort of idea about all of this," Scott said trying to reassure his friend that he wasn't alone.

Stiles sighed and let his hands fall limply to his side, "the only thing I can think of is to go back and talk with her, she did say she wasn't here to hurt me."

"And you mentioned that she said you were too 'valuable to let die,' maybe our best bet would be to let him go talk with her again," Derek said trying to bring some reasoning to the conversation.

"What," Scott yelled incredulously, "we can't let him do that!"

"Scott," Allison said softly grabbing her boyfriend's hands instantly calming him, "it's the best thing right now, seeing as how all we've got is a name and the fact that she knows way more than we ever thought."

Stiles rolled his eyes at the scene that was playing out over by the window before he noticed something outside. Jackson.

"What the hell are you doing here," Stiles yelled as the door slammed behind him as he stormed outside.

Jackson leaned back with his hand in his pockets and an amused look on his face, "I could ask you the same thing. Last time I checked, you went and had your daddy get the whole Beacon Hills Sheriff's Department on Derek for a murder he didn't commit." Stiles glared at the boy as Derek, Scott and Allison walked out of the house.

Jackson, taking a step towards the house when he saw Derek said, "I thought we were going to train today, but I see you're a little busy babysitting." He said the last word glancing at a very red in the face Stiles.

"Easy," Scott whispered to Stiles who was clenching his hands into fists.

Derek noticed this and spoke directly to Jackson, "not today Jackson, something's happened that's way more important than training."

"Is it about that new girl? What's her name…Morgan?"

They all steeled, Allison narrowing her eyes as she took a step towards Jackson asked, "How do you know about her?"

"Let's just say that Stiles boy over here isn't too good when it comes to whispering." Leaning forward with a smile on his lips and talking directly to Stiles, "these new ears are a kick, hunh?" And Stiles lost it; Scott almost didn't react fast enough to pull him back. Jackson laughed as Scott pulled Stiles back into the house, Allison followed them inside looking back at Jackson and then to Derek.

"Jackson," Derek said in an even tone, "you're going to have to go. Now is not the time."

"Yeah…well when is there going to be time? You said you'd help me with this and you've done nothing but yell at me," Jackson said with an edge to his voice.

"…because you've done nothing but made a complete ass of yourself! There's something going on here that's way more important than you and your ego! Go! I'll call you when I have time to deal with you, but not right now." Derek glared at the boy, eyes unwavering as Jackson challenged him. Jackson stormed off into the woods in a huff cursing under his breath. Derek stood and watched where his young charge was now kicking at dirt and leaves as he walked away.

"He thinks he's so much better than me," Jackson muttered to himself as he stormed through the woods. "He's not better than anyone! Sure as hell isn't better than Peter! Now that was an Alpha! So much power," his breathing got harder. "I'll show him! I'll show all of them that I'm a better wolf than they are! I'll..." a growl crept through his lips. "I'll…" another growl, his fangs catching a glint off the sunlight. "I'll…" another growl, deeper this time; he breathing got heavier and everything started to turn red, claws tore at his jeans as he swirled in anger and fury.

"You'll do what," a voice sassed at him in his fury.

Jackson stopped where he was as he heard the voice…a woman's voice. He turned to where the voice had come from and saw Mrs. Argent, clad in black leather and strapped with a sawn-off shotgun. His eyes widened when he saw the gun but his fury led him forward in a blind rage. Mrs. Argent stepped coolly to the side as Jackson crashed to the ground beside her, laughing she turned to face the boy.

"It's a shame Derek turned you, you're so scrawny, I might actually feel bad if I killed you," Mrs. Argent said pulling a smaller gun from her belt and loading it with an aconite laced bullet and cocked it turning from where Jackson's claws scraped the tree behind her. "Jackson, that is your name right? You know my little girl talks about you so much…almost as much as she talks about Scott," Mrs. Argent said looking at her gun in the sunlight. "I'm going to save him for later, along with that insufferable mutt Derek. You on the other hand, I have no problem killing," the huntress said aiming the gun at Jackson's head that was now crouched on the ground listening, but waiting to attack.

Jackson flinched as Mrs. Argent began holding her head and screaming in pain. What the hell is going on, Jackson thought as he watched the huntress kneel to the ground covering her ears. Jackson felt a strong pair of hands grab him by the collar and pull him away, farther into the woods and away from the incapacitated huntress. It was all a blur until Jackson found himself slammed on floor in Derek's house.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Derek roared at the still unchanged boy who covered his face with a clawed hand. "She could've have killed you!" Jackson just whimpered quietly as Derek pulled him to his feet.

Still at Derek's house Scott was the first to say something, "what happened? What's going on here?"

"Your girlfriend's mother just tried to kill Jackson, that's what!" Derek yelled pacing the room.

"And you stopped her because…?" Stiles asked, liking this situation a bit too much.

"Wait, my mom? She just tried to kill Jackson? She would never do that, she knows Jackson is my friend," Allison said defending her mom.

"Yeah, well I heard her say before I came and dragged his sorry ass out that she didn't care. She had a gun pointed at his head." Allison froze where she was, her mind racing, my mom wouldn't do that. She bakes cookies for Christ's sake. My dad's the hunter, not my mom. My mom wouldn't do that.

"Allison," Scott spoke up, "do you remember when Morgan said she knows about your dad and your mom, maybe your mom is a hunter like the rest of your family and is just out for revenge."

"My mom wouldn't do that!" Allison yelled, walking out of the house the door slamming behind her.

"Allison…" Scott started but was stopped by Stiles.

Scott looked at his friend who just shook his head, "give her some time Scott."

"But…but I just can't…I can't just leave her like that, she needs someone with her right now."

"No," Stiles said, "what she needs now is time." And Stiles let go of his friends arm and let it fall helplessly to his side.

"Madam Argent," the same whispered voice said from the shadows of the trees, "the girl was here. It appears that she is in fact out to help them."

Mrs. Argent dusted herself off as she regained her footing. "Is that so," she asked a little ruffled now. A twig snapped and she shot where she had heard the sound coming from behind her. The bullet made contact with a tree and a girl screamed. Mrs. Argent's eyes flew wide when she saw that Allison was standing behind her. Mrs. Argent flew to her daughter cradling her to her chest and apologizing over and over, "I'm so sorry honey. I thought it was something else. You know my nerves haven't been the same since your father told me about what happened with that horrible wolf creature."

Allison pushed away from her mom and glared at her with eyes so furious that tears fell to her cheek, "you're a liar. You tried to kill Jackson mom, why? Why Jackson? You know he's one of my only friends here. Are you going to try and kill Scott next? Is that what you're going to do? Are you going to kill everyone I love just because of some stupid code you have?"

Mrs. Argent looked at her daughter with kind patient eyes, "I'm sorry dear, I was just a little surprised when Jackson showed up looking like that."

"Stop lying mom! For once in my life tell me the truth!" Allison was livid.

Her mother now looked at her with dark eyes, "fine, you want the truth, well here it is. That mutt of yours is a danger to you and this town and I will be damned if I let him hurt anyone!" Allison looked at her mom with disbelieving and hurt eyes. "And if I have to kill him to make sure you're safe, I will."

Allison's eyes widened at the last sentence and she ran off into the woods feeling lost, confused, hurt and alone.

"Hi Allison."

The girl looked up from where she had been wandering around tears streaked down her face, her eyes widened when she saw whom the voice had come from.

"Lydia…?

To be continued…

I'd really like to know what you guys think about Morgan and generally this chapter. I thought I wouldn't rush this one so I took two days to write it. I wanted to make sure I took into account that I was asked for some hunter/werewolf interaction; I know it's small but I'm not really good with action scenes.

Also, I don't know who or what the voice is that Mrs. Argent gets her information from...not yet at least. And I don't know what I'm going to do with Lydia but something told me to bring her back. I missed Lydia, didn't you?


	4. Chapter 4

"Lydia," Allison asked in pure disbelief wiping the tear stains off her face with her sleeve, "what are you doing here? How did you get out of the hospital?" Allison looked at her clothes; she was still in her hospital gown and her patient ID bracelet was still around her wrist and she had no shoes on, her bare feet looking ghostly pale against the dark brown of the forest floor.

"It's nice to see you too Allison," the other girl said cocking her head to the side looking at her friend. "And I walked out, thanks for asking," the girl said in a tone that mocked being touched, "What's wrong with you, Jackson break your heart?"

Allison was struck with serious confusion at that last part, "what...why would I be crying over Jackson? We don't even go out."

Lydia scoffed, "could've fooled me." Allison watched her friend as she started to walk away before calling to her, "where are you going Lydia, you don't even have any clothes on."

Lydia stopped in her tracks and turned to her friend confusion painted across her face, "what...what am I doing here?" She looked around scared and then disgusted when she looked down and saw what she ws wearing, "what am I wearing?" She yelled and ran over to Allison, "can I get your jacket, it'll look better on me anyway." As Allison handed over her jacket Lydia looked down at her feet and then up to Allison.

Allison seeing what Lydia was hinting at shook her head, "oh no, not my shoes. Come on, my car's over here I'll take you home."

Lydia's eyes widened before she grabbed Allison's arm looking a bit desperate, "are my parents mad that I haven't been home in a while? How long have I been gone? What happened?"

Allison looked at her friend's truly frightened face and shook her head asking, "you don't remember anything, do you? What's the last thing you remember?"

"Umm...I was at the Formal and Stiles had asked me to dance...and then I saw Jackson leave and the last thing I remember is me standing on the lacrosse field with Stiles screaming my name and running towards me," Lydia looked down, "...that's it."

Allison breathed out, getting her head around how bad this really was, "I'm sure your parent's won't be mad. Now come on, let's get you home and in some proper clothes."

Allison laid on the bed as Lydia walked out the shower in a fresh white towel and drying her hair off.

"Ugh! You have no idea how good it feels to have a nice hot shower until you haven't for a while. So Allison, fill me in, what's been going on? Have I missed anything important?" Allison ran down the list; where should I start? Whith her being attacked by a werewolf or the fact that Jackson is now a werewolf? How about I tell her that there's a new girl who has told us that Scott's going to kill Stiles? Or should I tell her that hey, Scott's a werewolf...that would be the easiest place to start. Lydia looked back at Allison from where she was applying moisturizer in front of the mirror, "well, anything?"

Allison looked up from from where she had zoned out and shook her head, "just the usual; Mr. Harris gave us another killer exam, Stiles and Scott are still up to their usual weirdness, Jackson's still co-captain of the lacrosse team..."

"And Scott," Lydia asked looking at Allison through the mirror.

"...no, Mr. Finstock replaced him with Danny since he crashed the Formal..."

"Aww," Lydia said walking over to the closet, "that's a shame; I was looking forward to watching Jackson squirm."

"Oh! Hey, we got a new girl," Allison said in a feigned bright voice offering a smile to Lydia.

'Yeah..." Lydia said absentmindedly as she pushed clothes from side to side looking for something to wear. She pulled out a floral print sundress and held it up looking at Allison who nodded with a smile, Lydia held it out to face her and looking at it shook her head and put it back up in the closet, "is she cool, this new girl?"

Allison shook her head as she flipped through a magazine that was on Lydia's nightstand, "not really, they made me show her around the school since I was the new kid last. She's really weird and barely talks."

"That's fine," Lydia said pulling out a pink belted dress and a black blazer, "I'll just have to show her around myself, won't I?"

Allison looked at her friend with an unsure look on her face, "you sure you should be going back to school so soon? I mean, your mom did say you could stay home if you felt like it."

"I'm going, Allison, I want to see Stiles and if I happen to run into Jackson that's just a coincidence," Lydia said as she slipped on some sweat and a tank top. Allison just looked a little defeated as she huffed and continued to slip through the magazine before deciding to put it away.

"Hey," Lydia said as Allison sat up on the bed, "thatnks for the ride home."

"It's no problem, anytime," Allsion said with a shrug.

"But I'm tired and really just want to get to sleep."

Allison looked at the clock, "but it's only 7:30."

"Oh yeah," Lydia yawned, "I'm just really tired." Allison got up feeling a little apprehensive at her friend's behavior but thought nothing of it, she'd be tired too if she had just got out of the hospital.

"Okay, well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," Allison led her out into the hall.

"Yeah, of course," Lydia said as they walked down the stairs and stopping at the front door.

"Hey Lydia," Allison said as the other girl opened the door pulling her jacket closer to her when the evening air hit her, Lydia looked at her with a smile in respose to her friend, "I'm glad you're back and out of that hospital. I really missed you."

Lydia's smile deepened as she pulled Allison in for a hug, "I missed you too."

Allison felt Lydia tighten her grip and sensing something wwas wrong she leaned back to look at Lydia, still holding her arms and looking in her eyes, 'are you alright?" Lydia didn't respond, her eyes were gone, staring into nothing, "Lydia," Allison asked with questioning eyes.

'Hmm," the strawberry blonde girl snapped back to where she wasm her mouth drawn in a tight line.

'Are you okay," Allsion asked again shaking Lydia's arms a little.

"Yeah, I'm fine...just tired. Yeah...just tired," Lydia pulled her friend into another hug before saying goodnight and watched her drive off down the street.

Allison put her car in park and sat in the driveway of her home, she wasn't ready to go in. What am I going to do? My mother's out to kill my boyfriend and whatever Jackson is. Then there's Morgan, who I don't know anything about but she knows everything about us. And then Lydia's back and seriously whacked. She let out a frustrated grunt and hit her steering wheel, "what am I going to do?"

"You can get out of the car." Allison looked over and saw her dad smiling at her through her car window. She took off her seat belt and got out of the car. "Hi dad," she said as she gave him a hug.

"You okay," her dad asked as she hugged him, "I can't remember the last time you hugged me."

"I'm fine," she said pulling away, "just a lot on my mind."

"Well, if there's anyone you can talk to it's me," her dad said with a soft smile, "what's wrong?"

"Oh nothing," she said with a sigh, "I just found out mom is out to kill Scott and Jackson, no big deal."

Her dad laughed softly, "you know she's just trying to protect you. She wasn't there with us when everything went down with that alpha, so she's just a little scared."

"Yeah, but I don't think she has to worry about Scott and Jackson...and I'm pretty sure I don't even register to Derek, so she really doesn't have to worry about them."

"But she will, and if the smell of baking cookies means anything she's sorry..."

"Or upset and planning a murder," Allison said cutting her dad off. Mr. Argent sighed and led his daughter to the front door.

He stopped at the front door and took a big sniff of the smell of baking cookies and looked at Allison, he smiled, "I'm pretty sure she's sorry." Allison rolled her eyes, but the effect was lessened by her smile, and pushed the door open.

"Hey dad," Stiles said looking at his dad with a smile from across the dinner table, "it's nice to sit and have dinner again."

Mr. Stilinski looked up from his mashed potatoes, steak and peas and returned his son's smile, "yeah, I can't remember the last time we sat and had an actual dinner together."

They returned to their meals, the sound of silverware hitting ceramic filled to dim room. Stiles took a sip of water and cleared his throat, his dad looked up.

"So dad, there's this new girl at school," Stiles said leaning back a little.

"Yeah," Mr. Stilinski added trying to hide the little bit of excitement rising in his stomach, "is she umm..cute?"

"Dad what? Ugh! No. No, she just really weird. Her name's Morgan, I was wondering if you had heard anything about her," Stiles said returning to his steak refusing to touch his peas.

"Not that I know of," Mr. Stilinski said straightening his back, "does have a last name, this girl?"

"That's the thing dad, no one knows."

"Did you try asking her teachers, if you're so interested? Or you know, you could just ask her," Mr. Stilinski said that last bit in a matter of fact-ly.

"Don't you think I would've did that if I knew she'd give me a straight answer."

Mr. Stilinski picked up his glass of water and asked, "is this girl a problem or something?"

"I don't know...no one knows, she just came in with her black hair and wannabe Blade black coat and big boots and just really screwed me up."

"Sounds like she's really got you," his dad said with a knowing smile.

"Yeah," Stiles said with a sigh, "wait...no! No! She hasn't got me anywhere! She's weird and creepy and she walks around with really serious feel about her."

"Yeah well, if she's got you this worked up maybe you should talk to her at least you can get a peace of mind if nothing else."

Stiles let out a frustrated grunt and dragged a hand over his face, "why does everyone keep telling me to talk to her?"

"Hey, I'm only suggesting, I don't know what you kids are down with nowadays. Maybe you wanna get those digits and text her softly."

Stiles blanched, "dad stop, no one talks like that...ever." Stiles, finished with his steak and mashed potatoes got up to scrape his peas into the trash.

"Hey. Where are you going with those peas? Sit back down and eat those," Mr. Stilinski used his dad voice now. Stiles stopped and looked at his dad as if to say 'seriously?' But he sat down anyway and pushed his peas around on his plate, head held down.

"Why can't I get you to eat your peas?"

"...because they're evil," Stiles said looking at his dad over his brows. Mr. Stilinski laughed and Stiles couldn't help but laugh too, "you haven't changed all that much have you?"

"Not when it comes to vegetables dad, not when it comes to vegetables."

"Allison, you're being ridiculous!" Mrs. Argent yelled as Allison stomped upstairs.

"I am not! You're going to kill my friends and I'm the one being ridiculous? You are really backwards!"

"Allison don't yell at your mom," Mr. Argent added in an even tone.

"Sometimes I wonder if she is! I would never hunt someone who saved my daughter's life! Or my daughter's boyfriend, especially if he really makes her happy!"

"Are you saying that I don't want you to be happy," Mrs. Argent yelled from where she was mixing cookie dough next to her husband.

"I didn't say it mom, you did!"

"What," Mrs. Argent yelled as she shoved the mixing bowl at Mr. Argent and stomped up the stairs to her daughter. "You ungrateful little...! I have half a mind to..."

"What are you gonna do," Allison cutting her mother off, "kill me? I'd love to hear you explain ithat/i to your precious hunters!"

"The same hunters that have helped keep you safe from the beasts that walk the night!"

"Yeah," Allison said in a tone so soft that it struck Mrs. Argent straight in her heart, "what about the monsters that walk in my own home?" Mrs. Argent stunned took a step back down the stairs hand over her heart. She looked back at her husband, who looked stunned as well with the mixing bowl still in his arm, and then back up at Allison who had a glare so strong Mrs. Argent was sure she felt a chill in the room. Allison just glared at her mom satisfied with how she had hurt her mother, and then walked up the stairs and straight to her room slamming the door.

Mr. Argent was right there at her side, with a hand on his wife's elbow who turned to him with tears in her eyes and a hand over her mouth suppressing a sob that broke her husband's heart.

"She doesn't understand..." Mrs. Argent said wiping the tears from her eyes and grabbing the bowl her husband. "She'll understand, she won't have a choice," her voice regaining it's control and calm, "after we do this she won't have any other choice but to." And she began mixing the cookies again and walked back into the kitchen, Mr. Argent shook his head with a sigh and followed his wife.

"I need you to stay away from the boy," the girl said into the dark of the forest, "at least until I can get him on my side."

A voice spoke slipping in and out from just beyond her sight, "and why should we listen to you?" Her coat ruffled as she turned to face where the voice had come from.

"Because unlike those idiot hunters I know what you are and what you're here for."

A laugh. She turned again to face where the voice last came from but then from her right almost directly in her ear, "you simple mortal. You can't do anything to me. We're too powerful for you and your little incantations; I know that's how you've been getting to the boy, you have them all fooled," the voice trailed to her left ear and then behind her.

"Would you stop moving?"

"We can't stop, I am the darkness. I am everywhere."

"Darkness, yeah right. Listen, I can get you what you want, just stay away from the boy for a while at least."

"And what do you propose I do about that intolerable woman?"

"Lie to her, that's what you're good at."

"You mock us," the voice began to fade away.

The girl turned trying to find the voice, her hair a swirl around her face, "I'm not done with you!"

"But we are done with you," the voice said growing stronger. "I'll give you three days, after that the woman will become suspicious."

"Fine, three days."

"Goodbye tiny witch," the voice said in a mocking tone, "I'm really going to miss you."

"What do you mean by that?"

The voice was gone.

"Scott, is that you?"

Scott heard his mom call as he walked through the front door...for once. "Uh, yeah, hi mom."

She's in the...basement?

"Mom..." Scott called.

"I'm in the basement honey! I'm coming up." He heard the sound of her footsteps on the old creaky stairs and smiled when she popped up from around a corner. "Hi honey," she said with a smile and a box balanced on her hip.

"Uh, mom..?" Scott said gesturing to the box.

Melissa looked down where Scott was pointing and put her hand to her head and shaking with laughter, "I was going through some old things and I found a box of your baby stuff."

"What, mom," Scott groaned," seriously?"

"Mmmhmm," his mom said with a big smile on her face, "the baby book!" Scott groaned loudly and slumped against the wall. "One of my coworkers is pregnant and wanted to know how to make her baby book look so I thought I'd show her yours."

"Aww mom!"

"Oh hush, I won't show the picture of you tush."

"Mom," Scott groaned again.

"Stop that," his mom said in a serious voice, "it's unattractive to whine so much."

"Mom seriously," he looked at his mother pleading eyes.

"Oh alright," his mother said with a shrug, "I'll have to tell her that my son was just too embarrassed of himself to let me show a complete stranger -to him- his baby photos. Oh well, sigh." His mom hung her head in mock sadness but still looked at her son from under her brows.

"Puppy dog eyes, mom?" Scott blunk when he realized what he just said. Scott grunted in frustration, "fine you can take it, but leave the baby butt pic here."

"Fine, fine," his mom said putting her hand up before walking over and giving him a kiss on the cheek, "I was so busy with this I forgot to cook. Fend for yourself?"

"Fine..."

The next morning Stiles walked right up to Morgan, "what is your deal with me?"

Morgan didn't pay him any mind and just kept organizing her books in her locker. Stiles slammed her locker closed and glared at her.

"You know, you really have a way of treating a lady."

"I'm not playing with you Morgan. What. Is. Your. Deal?"

She laughed a little, "I don't have a 'deal' with you...if anything you should make a deal with me."

"Yeah," Stiles said licking his lips, "and why's that?"

"For the same reason I told you yesterday; Scott's going to kill you and I'm here to protect you. You ask a lot of questions, no wonder you're so smart." She patted his cheek and walked away.

"I'm not done talking to you," he went to grab her shoulder but she dodged it gracefully.

"You know, if you really want to talk why don't you meet me in out usual spot...you know the one," she said with a wink.

Stiles narrowed his eyes, "what are you getting at?"

"You hopefully," and with a flip of her hair she was gone.

Scott walked up to Stiles with his bag slung over his shoulder, "what was that about?"

"I don't know, but I'm about to find out," and Stiles was off chasing after where the girl in the black coat.

But you have..." Scott started but it fell on deaf ears, "economics."

Scott took his seat in economics class right as Mr. Finstock started to do the attendance.

"McCall...?

"Here."

"Stilinski...?"

No response.

"Stilinski...? McCall, where's Stilinski?"

"Umm...breakfast burrito."

Mr. Finstock winced and nodded understandingly, "well I hope he feels better."

"Why do you always call me out here?" Stiles said a little short of breath, "and why do you move so fast? Your legs are like, really short." He breathed out and leaned back looking at the sky spotted by the trees. "You know, this is a really nice green. It's like green but not too green...forest green almost. Hey, that's how it got it's name."

She snapped her finger to get his attention, "what are you planning to do about Scott?"

Stiles looked at her and shook his head saying, "what do you mean 'what am I planning to do about Scott?' Nothing, he's not going to kill me. I trust him."

"Do you trust him with you life?"

"What?"

Morgan now looked Stiles with a dark and seriously look, " do you trust Scott with your life?"

Stiles looked taken aback at that question before recovering, "yes, I trust Scott with my life."

"Aww, well that's a shame." Morgan walked over to Stiles going through her bag. Finding what she was looking for held her hand out to Stiles and opened it. A layered brown stone dangled from a shiny silver chain, "you're going to need this. It's..."

"Tiger Iron," Stiles cut her off, "yeah I know."

"So I'm assuming I don't have to tell you what it's for then."

"Protection from evil...yeah."

"I soaked it in water taken on a full moon from a still pond and rubbed it with monkshood..."

"Monkshood," Stiles interrupted flashing back to the car after they found Derek's sister and then when Kate had shot Derek.

"... you should be good but never take it off. And learn to let someone finish a thought, rude."She still had the necklace held out and was now twirling it slightly, it caught a glint off of the morning sun. Stiles looked at her before he took the necklace looking at it apprehensively.

"Don't say I never gave you anything," as she walked back towards the school. "Oh! And tell Derek that if he really wants to get to know me he should take me out on a date." And then she was gone. Stiles looked around completely confused, how does she keep doing that? Stiles unclasped the necklace and put it one, a little protection couldn't hurt, and putting the crystal under his shirt her walked back to the school.

"Dude, where were you?" Scott asked after getting out of class and meeting Stiles at his locker.

"Umm, I was in the woods...?" Stiles said looking a little suspect.

"Well...?" Scott prompted, "did she say anything?"

Stiles paused, "you know, she actually didn't. She just asked me if I trust you with my life, weird hun?" Stiles continued to occupy himself in his locker while he pretended Scott was looking at him expecting an answer.

Scott sighed heavily rolling his eyes, "what did you tell her?"

"Tell her what?" Stiles was still avoiding Scott's eyes.

"Did you tell her you trust me? With your life?"

"Hey guys," Allison said walking up to them looking a little sad but no one noticed because...

"Lydia!" The boys chorused squeezing her in a tight hug.

She squirmed, "you do know that I'm still a little sore."

"Oh! Sorry," Scott said as he and Stiles let her go.

Lydia, looking down as a smile creeped across her face, "hi Stiles."

Stiles rocked a little on the balls of his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets, "hi Lydia...howya feeling?"

"Pretty good actually, I finally got to put on make-up."

"Yeah, how did you get out of the hospital," Scott said cutting in.

"I walked out," Lydia said with an edge in her voice as she turned to Scott and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Okay Scott, I think we should leave them alone for a bit," Allison said as she pushed Scott a little ways down the hall. "And no wolf hypersensitive hearing," she said as moved him around the corner.

"So Lydia..."

"So Stiles..."

"Do you remember anything from the Formal?"

"Aside from us dancing and then looking for Jackson...not much. I do remember though, standing in the lacrosse field and seeing you run to me but that's it." The girl cocked her head to the side trying to remember as she spoke, "yeah, that's all I remember."

Stiles leaned forward with a raised eyebrow, "and that's it?"

Lydia blinked and looked back, "well, yeah...not much else about the night, aside from Scott and Danny. Which, BTW was so cute."

"Ummm ye-ah, should I go get Allison then," Stiles asked poiting to where she and Scott had walked off.

"No, no...just something that stuck with me. Hey," she perked up now and her eyes glistened in the harsh fluorescent of the school hall lights, "have you seen Jackson?"

"Jackson...? Umm, no. Not yet, why?"

"No reason," Stiles saw something flash across Lydia's face that wasn't there before and she bounced away down the hall.

Stiles' eyebrows raised as he had a sudden thought that he really wished he hadn't, "Scott?...Scott?"

He turned to look for him and was greeted by Danny.

"Was that Lydia you were just talking to?"

"Umm yeah, hey have you seen Scott?"

"Uh yeah, I think I just say him and Allison go into the supply clos_ Hey! Where are you going?"

But it was too late, Stiles was already running down the hall to the supply closet.

"Scott!" Stiles pulled the door open quickly and colored to his scalp covering his eyes and closed the door with a quickness. "Umm guys," he spoke to the door, "something might be wrong with Lydia."

"Yeah," Allison said as she walked out before Scott, "when she popped up in the woods last night after Jackson came by Derek's house. She looked really weird and she still had on her hospital gown. And it was like she was this completely different person, but that might just be me."

"No," Stiles said picking up where Allison had left off, "yeah, she seems really different now."

"Do you think it has anything to do with Peter and what happened on the field," Scott added as he walked out and laced his fingers with Allison as they walked down the hall. "Stiles, did you see anything that might give you a clue as to what might be up with Lydia?"

"Nothing, and I really looked," Stiles said as they turned a corner, "I mean I looked everywhere. I even chatted with this guy in Ireland who is supposed to be an expert but he said she could be anything from werewolf to just having a suppressed bite."

"'Suppressed bite?'" Allison asked looking at Stiles.

"Yeah," Stiles answered her question, "it means she could just be a carrier and her kids could probably end up as werewolves."

"So like how both parents can be blonde and their kid can be a brunette," Scott asked trying to clarify.

"Yeah, but there's no way to be sure what she really is," Stiles said looking up.

"Umm..." Allison said a little cautiously, "we could um...talk to Morgan."

"No!" Stiles objected a little too loudly.

"Stiles," Scott said in a hushed tone, "she might be our only chance at figuring out what's up with Lydia."

"What's up with Lydia?"

They looked up to see Jackson walking up to them.

"What's wrong with Lydia," Jackson said looking at the three teens in front of him.

"Nothing," Stiles said in a harsh tone.

"Whoa," Jackson said with a bit of a laugh putting his hands up in a show of no harm, "you really have to stop with this anger you have towards me. It can't be healthy, especially for someone with such a little amount of time left."

"What...what are you talking about," Scott asked stepping up next to Stiles.

"Nothing he doesn't already know. Look at him, he feels it, why do you think he has that crystal around his neck?"

"What?" Scott turned to Stiles and started to reach for his neck. Stiles swatted his hand away made to walk down the hall. Scott grabbed his arm pulling him back, "let me see your neck." Stiles let out a heavy sigh but didn't stop him when Scott reached for his neck. As his skin made contact with the silver there was a hissing sound and the smell of burning flesh, he pulled his hand back fast shaking it off at the pain.

"I could've told you that wasn't going to work; that's sterling silver with a tiger iron pendant, and said stone has been rubbed with wolfsbane. I'm a little surprised you hadn't picked up on it, Scott."

"Why do you have that," Scott demanded of Stiles.

"I um...I um...I...I..."

"Stiles, in all the years I've known you you've only been at a lose for words twice, when Lydia is around you and when your mom died. Dude, what is up?"

"Morgan gave it to me okay," Stiles said admittedly, "it's just something she thought I should have."

"And you're wearing it because...?"

"Protection," Jackson spoke up with his signature smirk laid heavily on his lips and scrunched his nose with what he said next, "he needs protection from you. Doesn't that just make you feel awful?"

"Jackson, not now." Allison spoke up after hearing all of this.

"You be quiet!" Jackson shot at Allison. "After what your mom tried to do yesterday, you shouldn't speak to me for a week."

"Hey wait a minute," Scott said rounding back to Jackson," that's not fair, you can't blame her for what her mom did!"

"I can't?" Jackson was raising his voice now, "she almost shot me!" The whole hallway fell quiet, everyone was starting at them now.

"We should go somewhere a bit more private, especially with Captain Outburst over here," Stiles said jutting a thumb at Jackson as he tried to usher them out the side exit of the school.

"Seriously?You expect us to stand next to the dumpsters?" Jackson protested.

"It's better than being in a hall full of gossipy teenagers, especially when talking about how your friend's mom tried to shoot you," Stiles said in a hushed whisper as he tried to get them just out of earshot of a few students that were smoking cigarettes.

"Allison," Scott said, "you're really quiet. You want to say something over here?"

"Not really, I'm pretty much done with my mom."

They all paused.

"What," Scott said walking over to where Allison had been keeping back and out of the argument. "You can't be serious about that?"

"I can't?" Allison finally showing some kind of emotion. "She basically told me that she'd kill you, Jackson and anyone else she thought could be a danger to me. And it won't just be her and dad looking out for me, she's going to get all the hunters that she called in..." she looked up at that. "Did I forget to mention my mom brought in more hunters? I kind of overheard her having a conversation with somebody with a really weird voice. I didn't see who they were but they had a lot of information about us."

"Do you think it was Morgan," Scott asked.

"No, Morgan wouldn't do anything like that," Stiles said noncommittalyly.

"Oh and you would know," Scott had rounded back on Stiles again. Jackson just stood back enjoying this. "And What are you smiling at," Scott turned to Jackson now, "you're primarily the blame for what happened to Lydia."

"I was hoping to run into you Jackson."

They froze. Jackson turned slowly to Lydia. She smiled at him and there was an instant drop in the temperature, Stiles was sure he could see his breath now.

"Hi...Lydia. How long have you been there," Jackson asked with an almost indistinguishable quiver in his voice, Lydia heard it and it was as if her lips became a deeper more strinking red.

"Jackson," she said sauntering over to the boy, "it's been a while. How've you been? Still dealing with your little problem?" She held up her pinky bending it slightly, Stiles laughed. Lydia looked back to where Stiles was bent over and her face softened a bit before turning back into a hard mask when she looked at Jackson.

"So guys," she said still looking at Jackson but clearly talking to everyone, "what is it that's wrong with me? You know my memory's not what it used to be, I can't seem to remember much but that I have this lingering hate for Jackson that just overwhelms me. I wonder why that is," a cold smile split across her face as her eyes pierced into those of a now frightened Jackson. Lydia was intense, that was for sure, but they couldn't place what that intensity was.

"So Jackson, please, inform me why it is that whenever I hear you name I vibrate with a silent rage, hmm?"

"I...I...I...umm..."

Lydia placed a finger over his lips and tutted softly, "I don't have time for your lies. You see, since it's been a while I made an appointment for a mani/pedi. Allison, would you like to come, it looks like you could use a break."

"Gladly," Allison said fixing her bag over her shoulder and walking over to Lydia.

Lydia linked arms with her friend and a smile, like when she had looked at Stiles, crept across her face and her voice lightened. "I was thinking pink for you because it'll go grat with you skin. And I don't know, I'm feeling like a little black today, what do you think?"

I think that's a wonderful idea," Allison said smiling at her friend before they walked off to Allison's car.

"Well, you guys are royally screwed."

Jackson and Scott jumped at hearing the sudden voice, and Stiles just laughed being a little used to it by now.

"What do you mean we're screwed," Scott asked as Morgan walked from around the corner behind them.

"I mean you guys are royally screwed. You don't know what you're dealing with do you?"

She laughed as all the boys just shook their heads.

"Why are boys so stupid," she asked to no one in particular, "she's a hybrid, and a damn pissed one if you ask me."

"What do you mean hybrid? A hybrid of what," Jackson asked in a tone that was supposed to be demanding but he was still shaken from Lydia.

"You really shouldn't be talking Jackson, especially since she wants your head on a platter."

"I didn't do anything to her," he yelled.

"Wow, she was right," Morgan said picking an invisible piece of lint off of her coat, "you really are a liar...and a bad one at that."

"Wait," Stiles spoke up, "can we go back to that hybrid thing? How," he asked shifting his weight and scratching his head. Morgan smiled and walked over to Stiles running a finger down his cheek. He froze and looked at Scott and Jackson.

"You don't have to worry about them, they're both terrified of me...and I can tell that one of them is having questions about your relationship with me." She said that last part looking at Scott who looked really uncomfortable in return.

"She's a hybrid," Morgan said walking back to what would be the center of their little group making sure she had all of their attention. "A hybrid only occurs on one of two occasions; first, when a human is bitten several times but none of the bites go any deeper than a scratch on the skin. And secondly, when one is experiencing a strong negative emotion that is consuming them. If they happen to get bitten while feeling this intense; pain, sadness, grief or heartbreak the emotion is intensified within the being until it forces their body to accept the bite but refuse the change."

"Is that the same as when someone has a suppressed bite," Stiles asked from where he was standing rapt.

"Yes, it's exactly the same. The person won't change or show any outer appearance of the wolf or the bite but will retain the wolf's reflexes and abilities. Thusly, creating an almost superhuman."

"But how does that happen," Scott spoke up and through his confusion.

"There's usually a trigger, an experience of extreme trauma. If the individual was ever able to recall what happened to them they would, in a way, be able to control the beast within by controlling that emotion."

Stiles looked at Jackson with a hand over his mouth, "you are royally screwed, dude."

"Thanks, I got the update," Jackson said with his jaw set tight. "Is there anything we can do about it, to stop her I mean?" Morgan started to sway as a breeze picked up. "I'm talking to you," Jackson said in a demanding tone as Morgan kept on swaying. "I'm talking to you!"

Morgan stopped and the breeze really picked up, "don't you ever yell at me you filthy mutt! You broke her heart, only you can fix it."

"That's like asking me to walk into a lion's den covered in steaks," Jackson said with his jaw still set tight but with an undertone of desperation.

Morgan started to sway in the breeze again, "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

"That's not helpful," Jackson yelled again his anger and desperation getting the best of him.

The breeze picked up immediately as Morgan closed the distance between her and Jackson, Scott moved wisely out of the way just as a rock hit Jackson in the chest and then another in the shin. "You do not yell at me!Do you understand that you stray? I am a problem for you unlike Derek, and since you're going to have to deal with Lydia I suggest you squash that unjustifiable ego of yours and ask for my damn help!" Morgan was right in his face now and the wind had reached a new high but no one else seemed to notice the change, save for the three teens who were a part of this.

Jackson swallowed and genuine fear filled his eyes as he spoke in a quiet voice, "Morgan, will you please help me with Lydia?"

And just like that the wind stopped and Morgan had shrunk back to her normal size, "of course I will," she said with a smile. "Any friend of Stiles is a friend I'll tolerate for him." She looked at Scott and then to Jackson before finally turning to Stiles. Walking up to him she put a hand on his chest just over where the crystal was and whispered to him, "keep this on, and don't let anyone touch it." She looked at Scott before turning back to Stiles and saying with a more serious tone than the last, "no one, do you understand me?" Stiles still a little shocked at what he just witnessed nodded his head yes; and seeing he understood Morgan placed a small kiss on his cheek and began walking away. Just before she turned the corner she yelled over her shoulder, "we meet during my free period, Stiles can show you our place." And just like that she was gone.

The two boys turned to where Stiles now stood ramrod straight and not making it obvious that he was avoiding their gaze. Jackson was the first to speak up, "'our place?'"

Stiles swallowed hard and colored only slightly and flustered tried to defend himself, "Uh...yeah. I mean, no but...yeah. Well...she always leads me there whenever we had to speak, and it's hardly 'our place' we just talk there. You know, I don't need your judging glares okay? Especially when Jackson almost single-handedly let loose a hybrid on the population of Beacon Hills."

Jackson's nervousness returned at what Stiles said, and Stiles wasn't sure but he could swear he saw him break a sweat.

Scott searched for something to say, when he looked up he added sheepishly, "do you trust her?" Stiles looked up at his friend with a questioning look.

"Morgan," Scott clarified, "do you trust her, Stiles?"

Stiles was shocked, he had never really thought about that question. Honestly, he didn't know anything about Morgan other than that she said she was here to protect him but that was it. He didn't know. Did he trust her? Did he trust Scott? That's his best friend of course he did but, did he trust Scott with his life? Morgan had said that Scott was going to kill him, and sure he almost did a few times but he never did. Ultimately Scott was his best friend and he wouldn't purposely hut him...but would the wolf? He didn't know. Stiles looked up and met his friend's eyes and said in a voice so low it was almost frightening, "I don't know, Scott."

"And you expect us to," Jackson now asked dubiously.

"No, I'm not asking you to do that," Stiles said sternly, "but I am asking you to let her help us, we obviously don't know how to deal with this and she does."

"Okay," everyone paused when Scott spoke up, "we're going to let her help us, but don't do anything that she can use against us. I have a really weird feeling about that girl and I don't know what to think of it."

Jackson exhaled loudly running a hand down his face, "fine, but I'm not happy about this."

"No one asked you to," Scott sounded fed up, "but you're going to have to deal with this because you did that to her."

"Listen McCall, don't think you can go around trying to pressure me!"

"Well," Stiles breathed out, "that was random and uncalled for. And honestly, you're a douchebag and we have to go." Stiles walked to his Jeep but called over his shoulder, "we're going to Derek's! Come on Scott! Jackson, you had better be there!"

Jackson parked his porsche behind the chain barrier and next to Stiles' Jeep, huffing heavily he got out and started his way to Derek's house. He was not excited about this, not in the least, why should he have to deal with Lydia? It's noy like it was his fault that he broke up with Lydia, she was holding him back and he was expectiing really big change in his life. He had people to please and she was hindering that. He needed that bite, he couldn't let McCall take his place as team captain and how embarrassing was it that Coach had made Scott his, he swallowed bitterly, his co-captain. There was something way more important than him, Lydia, or Scott going on and he had to make sure his future was set. McCall, he rolled his eyes, what an obnoxious prick to think that he could actually be better than him. He sucked and it wasn't until he got that bite that he started to be worth something to the team. And Derek, what a joke, how could he let two little kids get him into so much trouble? He laughed to himself, what a big joke. His thoughts had trasported him to Derek's house where what felt would be his sentencing to death by his ex-girlfriend. Before he could even knock on the door it was opened and he was pulled inside.

"What the hell, Jackson," Derek yelled into his face.

"Well it's nice to see you too, Derek," he said as his brushed off his jacket and not making eye contact with anyone in the room. When he decided to look up, nonchalance plastered across his face as he saw where Stiles and Scott stood iver by the fallen television set with twin glares. Oh, so we're doing this still. He rolled his eyes and turned back to where Derek was barking in his face.

"...and what do you mean it's not your fault? You did this!"

Jackson sighed as he stared right back into Derek's eyes his voice calm and measured, "I don't think we should be passing judgement. The only thing we really have to worry about now is Lydia and that witch of a girl, Morgan."

Derek turned to Stiles and asked, "is she a witch?"

Stiles shrugged, "she hasn't said it out front but that's the vibe I'm getting from her."

"She gave him a tiger iron pendant rubbed in monskhood on a silver chain," Jackson adding what Stiles had graciously forgotten.

"She gave you what?" Derek turned his full attention from Jackson to Stiles.

"Yeah, she felt I could use some protection," Stiles said a bit too sheepishly.

"Tell him protection from what...or who," Scott added darkly from where he had found a spot on the wall very interesting. Derek looked from where Scott had spoken up and back to Stiles, his glare still on his face. Stiles couldn't help but wonder if werewolves get wrinkles.

"...from Scott." His voice broke.

Derek looked at Scott who had become more and more sullen as the moments had passed before turning to Jackson, " and how did you know about the necklace?"

Jackson laughed a little, "you guys really suck. Can't you smell it on him, it's sickening enough. I wasn't surprised when Scott couldn't pick up on it but I'm a little surprised at you Derek, maybe someone's getting a bit too old." Stiles jumped in between them before Derek could get a hand on Jackson who instead made contact with Stiles' necklace. A strong white light flooded from it blinding the boys and tossing Derek across the room. When the light had died down and a stillness settled across the room, Derek got off the floor and dusted himself free of debris from where he had made a hole in the wall. He stared at Stiles and then the other boys, "I want to see Morgan."

to be continued...

This chapter took a while for me to write; not because I couldn't but because I've been busy for the past couple days and all of this had to be written on my phone. And well be trail run of Microsoft Office ran out and I can't afford to buy it yet. I hope you guys liked this chapter and I really hope it isn't too hard to follow, I feel like I was all over the place with this one but hopefully it's not too confusing. Reviews are always welcomed.

I still don't know what Morgan's agenda is and I don't know what the voice meant either, but hopefully we'll find out soon. Anyway, thanks for reading and I would really like to see what you guys think or have to say about this chapter. Thanks for reading.

P.S. If you see the crystal garnet mentioned it's because I might've over looked it, just replace it with Tiger Iron and you should be good.


	5. Chapter 5

"Well Derek there is some good news to that," Stiles said after Derek had calmed down and was relatively dust free. "She wants to meet you too."

Derek looked at Stiles with untrusting eyes as he waited for Stiles to tell him what the bad news was...and why was he smiling?

"The bad news," Stiles stifled a laugh, "she wants you to take her on a date." If Derek's nostrils had flared any wider at that Stiles was sure he could inhale the couch.

"What?"

"Oh calm down Derek, she just wants to get to know you in an intimate setting. And you can't act like it wouldn't be beneficial for you and us if you did," Scott added with a smile that matched Stiles'.

"Besides," this was Jackson now, "she looks like a total catch. I mean, woowee is she a looker."

As the three boys in front of him smiled from ear to ear with an occasional stifled laugh he felt a new type of anger that he'd never known, "All of you! Out! Right now! Stiles! Scott! Jackson! All of you out this minute!"

"What's the matter Derek, did we hit a nerve?" Stiles said jokingly as he was pushed towards the door.

"Oh come on Derek," Scott pleaded at the door, "you have too. This could be good for us and you did say you wanted to know more about her, so what better way than on a date?"

Derek's glare was as ice cold as the one that Lydia had given Jackson, he slammed the door and yelled for them to leave his property.

"Fine," Scott said as he walked down the stairs making his way to where Jackson had disappeared into the woods before turning back for Stiles.

"Hey Derek!" Stiles yelled to the closed door, "make sure you wear something nice." A growl came from the door and Stiles ran over to Scott with a grin on his face.

"Must you always tease him," Scott asked turning to walk into the woods.

"Why not? He takes himself too seriously as it is, he has to learn to relax a little," Stiles said with a shrug as he followed Scott picking their way through the branches and bramble.

Scott shook his head at his friend before saying, "hey listen, I won't be able to hang tonight. Me and Allison decided to hang out and try to figure out what our game plan should be regarding her family and my issue."

Stiles licked his lips and breathed hard as he crossed the brook by the felled tree they used as a marker, "dude, I don't see why you just don't accept this thing and move on from Allison? Her family is a big deal to her, obviously, and I think it's been already noted that she does care about what they think."

Scott shook his head as he lifted a small branch to walk under holding it up for Stiles, "I don't know about that so much, man. Allison and her mom had this big argument about what she almost did to Jackson and I don't think she really cares about what her mom has to say anymore."

Stiles stepped on a rock and balanced a little as Scott walked back in front of him, "are you sure about that? I mean she did mention her mom saying something about there being more hunters, do you think Allison couldn't get pressured into doing something she'd regret?"

Scott leaped over a dead log and kept walking as he heard Stiles stumble a little trying to get over, "I trust her. And she trusts me...I think." Scott paused before going on not noticing the look Stiles gave him, "but I know she loves me and we've gotten through so much more than this. I don't see how her mom having a few more friends over could change that."

Stiles shook his head as he tried to regain some breath and looked up relieved when he saw his Jeep and Jackson pulling off, "umm hi, she comes from a family of werewolf hunters, her family probably has werewolf hunter friends, you're a werewolf, and given everything that happened I'm pretty sure everything isn't going to be all hunkydory."

Stiles pulled out his keys as they walked past the chain barrier that marked the private property limits. "Scott, I'm just saying that maybe you should expect the worst and hope for the best, that's all I'm saying."

Scott sighed, "and I hear you Stiles, but what I'm saying is that I don't think anything can break us. Not anymore."

"...except maybe high school and her werewolf killing family," Stiles added under his breath as he opened the car door.

"I heard that," Scott said as he got in and pulled on his seat belt.

"I wanted you to," Stiles said as he put the key in the ignition and made a U-turn.

The car ride was relatively silent until Scott finally had to ask, "you really don't trust Morgan?"

Stiles licked his lips and checked his rear-view mirror, "yeah, I mean I guess I do. She did give me this necklace after all."

"And necklace that would protect you from me," Scott said not looking away from Stiles.

"...and Derek apparently. But mostly it's because what she told me the other day in the woods, that she was here to protect me...that I was too valuable to let die," Stiles flexed his fingers on his steering wheel.

"I still don't know what she meant by that, but why would she think she would need to protect you from me? I mean it's not like I did any real harm to you, right," Scott asked with a furrowed brow and a small frown.

Stiles didn't look away from the road and tightened his grip on the steering wheel, "you did try and kill me a few times."

Scott leaned back at the intensity in Stiles' voice and the energy that he could feel waving off of him, "and you really believe I would kill you?"

"I'm not saying that..." Stiles said but was interrupted.

"...but you're not not saying it," Scott said with a hurt tone.

"Would you just let me finish what I was saying?" Stiles looked at Scott who was now leaning his head onto the cool glass of the window, "I'm not saying that I don't trust you, I'm just saying that a little protection wouldn't hurt. I can't heal like you, or Derek, or Jackson, and I don't come from a lineage of hunters like Allison. I'm just plain old Stiles: son of the Beacon Hills County Sheriff."

Scott leaned up now and looked at his friend, " don't say that. You're not plain and you are way more that the Sheriff's son. You're my best friend and my rock, I would've gone mad having to deal with all this by myself."

Stiles laughed bitterly to himself, "yeah right, you would've been fine. I'm sure Derek would've came and taken you under his wing like he always tried to do. And I'm pretty sure that you'd have ended up with Allison anyway. So just stop trying to make me feel better about being the weak link of the group, like I was somehow important to this whole thing. I gave up a lot to make sure that you guys were okay and I still ended up with nothing. Jackson got what he wanted, you got Allison back, Allison found out the truth about her family and you, and Lydia...I still don't have Lydia, and now she's something more than she was and apparently a big enough problem that some girl from the blue feels the need to help us. So just save it and worry about you and Allison, like always."

Scott was stunned still and what he just heard, where was all of this coming from? This malice...this bitterness, it was not Stiles. Stiles was the goofy kid who liked weird toppings on his pizza and cried for a weak straight when his mom died. Stiles was the kid who would keep odd hours researching things that had nothing to do with school. Stiles was the kid that had made sure to celebrate every birthday with him since everything started to go bad between his mom and his dad. This wasn't Stiles, Scott didn't know who this was.

"And stop with that look," Stiles said with eyes slightly red and focused on the road. "I'm still the same Stiles, just a bit more real about how everything is." The car ride to Scott's house was excruciatingly silent after that. No words were spoken as Scott got his backpack and stepped out of the Jeep. Even as he leaned back in to say goodbye or something, Stiles kept his eyes forward and his grip tight on the steering wheel. Scott closed the door and leaned away from the car and Stiles peeled out of the driveway and sped down the road. Scott stood in his driveway watching where his friend had just been before his phone buzzed, it was a text from Allison.

-Are we still on for tonight? -A

Scott sighed and walked to his front door as he replied.

-Sure, can't wait. -S

As he went to put his phone away he received another text from Allison.

-You okay? -A

Scott thought about what had just happened in the car.

-I think Stiles and I aren't friends anymore. -S

He put his key in the lock right as the phone rang.

"Tell me everything," Allison said in a concerned voice.

Scott sighed into the receiver, "where do I begin?"

Stiles pulled into the driveway of his home his dad's car wasn't here, which wasn't new, but today it bothered Stiles a bit more than it should. He put his car in parked and slumped against his steering wheel breathing heavily, he had to calm himself down. After a while he picked his head up and saw Danny pull into his driveway and laughed silently to himself. Here he was needing someone to talk to and there Danny was. The boys had lived on the same block for most of their lives but Stiles knew next to nothing about Danny. He got out of his car and walked down the block to where Danny was getting his things out of his car. Scott cleared his throat trying not to startle the boy who was busying himself with the contents of his back seat, but failed when Danny jumped and hit his head trying to get out of the car.

"I'm sorry," Stiles said with a worried look as he moved closer to Danny.

"Nah, it's cool," Danny said rubbing the top of his head. "Anything I could help you wi_" he stopped short noticing Stiles' red eyes and the flush of his cheeks. He sighed and put a small smile on his face, "you wanna come in for a minute?"

Stiles looked back to where his Jeep was parked in his driveway before nodding yes. He helped Danny with his lacrosse gear up to the house, taking the helmet from the boy as he tried to put the key in the lock.

"My parents are home," Danny said, "but we can sit up in my room. I'll get my mom to bring us some snacks."

Stiles nodded before asking, "I'm not bothering you am I? I just remembered you said if I ever needed to talk that you were there."

Danny looked up at Stiles as he opened his door and put his stuff over by the umbrella holder, "no, you're not bothering me, and I wouldn't have offered to listen if I hadn't felt that you needed someone to talk to." Stiles smiled at that and put his head down.

"Mom? Dad?" Danny called as he showed Stiles inside and closed the door.

"Hi baby! I'll be right down, let me just finish with these curlers."

Danny blanched and glanced at Stiles who had a grin on his face. "My mom doesn't always call me that, you know. It's just...a thing she says sometimes."

Stiles just smiled and looked around the house; Danny's house was big...bigger than Stiles anyway. He had heard that his parents were doctors or something but his family had always came from wealth...or so he heard. Stiles let his eyes wander the room before falling on a beautiful tan skinned woman who had bright green curlers in her hair. She looked young and had a lithe body, Stiles was sure she could have easily been a model if she had wanted to.

"Mom," Stiles heard Danny say, "why do you have to embarrass me in front of my friend?"

Friend? Stiles thought to himself.

"Oh boo," Stiles heard the woman say, "you know I'm a cool mom. And who is this we have here," she said walking gracefully down the stairs and over to the two boys. She looked from Stiles and then back to her son, clearing her throat and clearly expecting an introduction.

Danny sighed, "mom this is Stiles, Stiles this is my mom."

Danny's mother held a slender hand out to Stiles who shook it and felt just how velvety smooth her skin was, he was sure she was a model.

"My name's Alana," the strikingly beautiful dark haired woman smiled at him. Stiles saw where Danny got his long eyelashes and warm skin complexion.

"Don't be so shy honey," the woman replied taking his arm and leading him into the house. "Are you hungry, I'm pretty sure I heard your stomach growl when I walked downstairs."

"Mom," Danny whined, "we were just getting ready to go upstairs, Stiles and I kinda needed to talk."

"Oh poo," Alana said with a pout on her face, "let me just get you guys something then. The house has been quiet all day."

Danny sighed and gestured for his mom to continue. The woman smiled and it reached her eyes, Stiles saw something dazzling behind them and instantly felt at ease.

"So, Stiles is it," the woman asked and Stiles nodded. She smiled again, "that is such a cute name and so unique too." Stiles couldn't see but he heard Danny groan.

"Mom," Danny said now, "can we just get some sandwiches or something?"

"Don't rush mommy, dear. It's not everyday that I get to meet one of your friends, and besides, it's nice to see you hanging out with someone other than that Jackson."

Stiles wasn't sure but he thought he heard discontent in her voice as she sat him at the island in the kitchen and walked over to the fridge and pulled out a few things. Danny came up and sat beside Stiles ducking his head a little bit as he whispered to Stiles, "my mom is a bit much a times but she always means well."

"Damn straight," the woman said from where she was cutting some vegetables and pouring some olive oil into a skillet. Stiles looked up and smiled, he liked this woman. Alana poured the chopped vegetables into the skillet on the stove and put a packet of rice in a bowl of water and popped it in the microwave. "So Stiles dear," Alana said still facing the stove and shaking the skillet rhythmically, "tell me something about yourself."

Stiles looked at Danny who just shrugged and cleared his throat, "umm, I'm on the lacrosse team at the school but I've never gotten to play. Danny here is just to good at keeping our guys safe that I never really get a chance."

Stiles say a smile on the woman's face as she walked over to the pantry and pulled out some spices, "yeah, I heard Danny was really good. I feel bad because I never get around to seeing his games, work and all." She walked back to the stove adding the spices and a sweet smells started to fill the kitchen. The microwave dinged and she walked over and pulled out the steaming bag of rice, "Danny dear, can you get me a few eggs from the fridge?" Danny got up and pulled a few eggs from the refrigerator door and handed them to his mom. She took them without looking up and cracked them on a bowl that was next to her, "Stiles honey, your dad's the Sheriff right? Did you hear anything about all the animal attacks?"

Stiles swallowed hard and Alana looked up, "how rude of me, are you thirsty dear? Danny, get Stiles some juice will you. I got all ahead of myself and forgot to offer your friend something."

Danny got up and took a glass from the cabinet over the sink, "we have orange juice and lemonade."

Stiles looked over to Danny, "lemonade is fine, um, thanks."

Danny's mom added the rice to the now browned vegetables in the skillet, and seasoned and scrambled the eggs before adding them.

Stiles took a sip of his lemonade and licked his lips before continuing, "um, no, I didn't really hear much about the animal attacks aside from what my dad could tell me. But I know that they caught the person who was behind the Hale House arson case."

"Yeah," Alana said as she scraped a spatula on the bottom of the skillet, she pulled out two plates and spooned them each a serving of the stir fry and placed it down in front of them. Danny and Stiles looked down at the food that was in front of them and Stiles suddenly remembered how hungry he was.

"I figured you boys would want something more than some sandwiches. You boys can take that on up to Danny's room. I have to finish getting ready."

Stiles grabbed his plate, his drink, and started towards the door when he turned as Danny asked his mom, "where are you going? And where's dad?"

"Oh you know your father, his busy at work. But I'm off to meet some of the girls for our book club, we're reading To Kill A Mockingbird...again."

Stiles couldn't help but smile at the boredom in the woman's voice but she slapped on a smile and sashayed out the kitchen.

"Oh and Danny," she called back as she made her way upstairs, "can you take care of the dishes? Thanks love," she added the last part before Danny could say anything but he looked like he was going to agree anyway.

Danny looked down and picked up his plate before saying to Stiles, "come on, I'll show you to my room," and he led Stiles up the stairs and to the right. Stiles looked back as he heard singing coming from what he guessed was Danny's parent's room.

Danny opened the door and showed Stiles into his room gesturing for Stiles to sit on the bed as he pulled out his computer chair and sat on it atypically in front of Stiles. "So," he said digging a fork into his food, "what's on your mind?"

Stiles looked around at the boy's room; it was blue...like really blue, but his bedspread was a mix of black and gray and there were really vibrant paintings on the walls. And then Stiles saw the canvas in the corner. "You paint," he asked pointing to the canvas and squinting at Danny.

"Don't look so surprised," Danny said with a small laugh as scooped another bite of stir fry into his mouth. "I can do more than block goals and tolerate Jackson."

Stiles turned his attention back to Danny at hearing the name as he remembered why he was here in the first place.

Danny saw the sudden change in the boy and adjusted his tone, "you looked like you wanted to talk about something when you came up to me in the car, what's wrong?"

Stiles looked down hearing the concern in Danny's voice and pierced a green pepper with his fork and bit into it before speaking, "it's Scott...and Jackson...and Allison...and now Lydia, it's everything." Stiles looked down and put some rice on his fork, "I had an argument with Scott today on our way from Derek's house."

"Why were you at Derek's house? And what would make you argue with Scott, you guys are like brothers," Danny added looking up from his food and meeting Stiles' eyes.

Stiles searched for something to say that wouldn't reveal anything about what he was really upset about, "he's just spending too much time with Allison...I guess. But we had to tell Derek something, that's the only reason we were there. Did you know he thinks I don't trust him?"

Danny looked a bit confused, "Derek doesn't think you trust him?"

Stiles shook his head, "no, Scott doesn't think I trust and I don't much care for Derek as it is so I wouldn't care if he didn't."

"But why would Scott think you don't trust him," Danny asked with the question written in his eyes.

"Because of that new girl, Morgan. She told me some things, that I guess looking back, I shouldn't have told Scott," Stiles moved the food on the plate actively loosing his appetite.

"Stiles," Danny said with a slight intensity, "Scott is your friend and you obviously thought he needed to know what ever it was that Morgan said, otherwise you wouldn't have told him."

"Yeah but," Stiles paused, thinking, "I think I lost my best friend because of it."

Danny waved him off, "I don't want to hear that. Like I told you, Scott is like your brother, he's not going to let something like this change that. If anything, I bet you were the one over-reacting."

Stiles gave Danny a hard look causing the other boy to blink and lean back, "I wasn't over-reacting, he just doesn't get what I gave up to make sure they were all safe."

"And what did you give up," Danny asked in a matter-of-fact-ly.

"I gave up any chance I had at normalcy to make sure Scott new what he was dealing with. I gave up spending time with my only friend when he started dating Allison. I gave up any chance I had with Lydia when I had to leave her on that field," Stiles froze and looked at Danny. Had he said to much?

Danny sat up at that last part, "what did you just say?"

Stiles stuttered, "n...nothing...nothing. I didn't say anything."

Danny leaned up, "you said something about having to leave Lydia on the field."

Stiles thought fast, "uh...yeah, because I had to chase down what it was that had attacked her." Crap, he had really stepped in it this time.

"But didn't you tell the police that you didn't know what attacked her," Danny asked with a suspicious look in his eyes.

"That's because I didn't, I only saw it run off into the woods and I chased after it and called Jackson to tell him where Lydia was," Stiles didn't believe that lie himself.

"Let's just say I believe you, the important thing is that Lydia is fine now," Danny said shooting one more suspicious look at Stiles before returning to his food.

Stiles exhaled silently to himself as he occupied himself with the food and was gracious at the silence that followed for a while.

Danny put his fork down, it clinking against the empty plate and wiped his mouth with his napkin before saying, "can I ask you something?"

Stiles looked up with his mouth full and raised his eyebrows.

"Has Jackson been acting weird with you guys? I hardly see him anymore and whenever we do hang out he looks like he'd rather be somewhere else."

Stiles was almost hurt at the look in the boy's eyes, swallowed before saying, "aside from his usual chipper attitude, not really. I mean, yeah he's changed a lot but I haven't really noticed him acting weird. Stiles sighed at the look on Danny's face, "to be perfectly honest with you, I don't pay him much mind. I never really liked him and after the way he treated Lydia and I really would rather not have anything to do with him. You'd be better off asking Scott if you can separate him and Allison, they talk more than anyone in our group now."

Danny looked down and then back up, "that's what's been bothering you hasn't it? That Scott doesn't have time for you, and that now all of whatever it is that happened between you guys has he hasn't tried to make any time to see how you've been doing."

Stiles was a little shocked, "you got all of that from what I said?"

Danny shrugged, "well yeah, when you're one of the only openly gay kid at school you spend a lot of time watching people. And I can tell that you're hurting because I've been like that too."

Stiles sighed and looked down, a bit relieved that someone got it.

"I just want you to know," Danny said getting Stiles to look up at him, "I'm here whenever you need to talk or you just want to hang out for a while. I mean, I don't see why we can't be friends, especially if Scott and Jackson can do it. It's not like I hated you the way Jackson did Scott anyway."

Stiles laughed silently and looked up, "thanks Danny, I need to hear that I guess." Stiles paused before continuing, "one more question."

Danny looked from where he was staring out the window, "hmm, what is it?"

"Do you think I'm attractive?"

At that Danny got up and grabbed Stiles empty plate, "let's go Stilinski, we're not going to ruin this moment." And he walked out the room and down the stairs.

Stiles followed behind at a slower pace, admiring the house when Danny's mom popped out of the room in a tight brown skirt, some black heels and a ruffled floral print green top. She adjusted her pearls and checked her earrings in the hall mirror, "feeling better Stiles honey?"

Stiles smiled, "yeah, I am actually."

"Aww, that's good to hear. Can you hold this," she handed him her purse and put her long black hair into a messy bun. She checked herself in the mirror one last time straightening her skirt and fluffed the ruffles on her blouse before take her purse from Stiles and walked downstairs. "Thanks dear," she said as she made her way down the stairs in a manner befitting a queen, "it really is nice to see Danny with other friends. You know I don't much care for that Jackson."

Stiles laughed a little, "I hadn't noticed."

She stopped at the bottom of the stairs smiling as he came down and laced her arm with his, "I like you. I hope to see you around more often." She led Stiles into the kitchen where Danny was washing the dishes. She walked over to Danny and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "you keep this kid, you hear me Danny? I like him, he has spunk."

Stiles couldn't see but Danny colored to his scalp, "mom."

"Don't mom me," she said swatting his arm as she applied lipstick using the toaster as a mirror. She patted Danny's shoulder and threw a wink at Stiles as she walked out of the kitchen in a cloud of perfume. "Danny my love," she called over her shoulder as she walked to the front door, "your dad should be home in a few hours. Now you know I don't approve but I left money for a pizza in case Stiles wants so stay until his dad comes home. Love you! Kisses!" And just like that she was out the door.

Danny leaned on the sink and laughed a little and turned off the water as she turned to look at Stiles, "do you want to stay until your dad gets home?"

Stiles shrugged, "I don't want to impose or anything."

"It's fine. You're gonna stay, we can count this as our trial run to see if we can be friends. Go pick a movie, I'll make popcorn and order the pizza, pepperoni okay?"

Stiles nodded getting up and heading to the living room, "yeah, sounds good. Do you have a specific movie you wanna watch?"

Danny looked over from where he was taking a packet of popcorn out of the pantry, "nah, put on what you want to watch. I have more DVDs in my room if you can't find anything in the living room."

"Scott, I'm coming to pick you up right now," Allison said over the phone.

Scott exhaled and ran a hand through his thick hair, "no, you don't have to. I'll be fine to drive just give me a few minutes to shower and clear my head."

Allison's voice was strong over the receiver, "fine, go take your shower and get your thoughts in order because I'll be there in a little bit." And she hung up.

Scott looked at his phone before he dropped it and dropped to the bed with a heavy sigh before he pulled himself up and took his shirt off and walked to the bathroom,l letting his pants fall where they may and he turned on the shower and stepped in.

What did Stiles mean? What wasn't he telling him? Was he really that bad of a friend that he couldn't tell when his friend was hurting? Sure, he had been busy with Peter and Derek, and then Allison and her family but Stiles had never shown that he was upset or anything. But then again, he did see what Peter did to Lydia. Scott turned his face up into the stream. Maybe I should talk to Morgan instead of Stiles. We have been putting a lot of pressure on Stiles to talk to her, even after he told us that he wasn't comfortable with her. She did seem a little crazy, I mean what was that whole thing with Jackson about anyway? Jackson. Lydia. Now they had to deal with Lydia and they were all expecting Stiles to know what her deal was. Stiles has been looking tired lately. Even Derek was sort of expecting something from Stiles. Scott turned around and leaned his head back letting the water run over his hair. He sighed. He should make time for his friend, he had asked him to hang out later...now, but he turned him down again for Allison. When did everything get so complicated? When you got bit, that's when everything started to get complicated and he realized what his problem was. The wolf. He had to control the wolf and he had to try and get some normalcy back in his life.

His phone rang and he turned off the shower. Grabbing a towel and wrapped it around his waist, leaning to the side to answer his phone, "Allison? Yeah, give me a minute, I'll be right down." He grabbed some boxers and jeans, and threw on a shirt and padded barefoot down the stairs to open the door.

Allison stood there in front of Scott, with his hair dripping and that goofy grin on his face at seeing her. She couldn't help but smile, "you do know you're hair is dripping on your shirt right?"

Scott reached up and touched his hair, he had forgot to dry it, and smiled at Allison, "yeah, I guess I was in a bit of a rush." He stepped to the side and let Allison inside. He breathed deep, she was wearing his favorite perfume, "you smell amazing."

She turned to look at him, "thanks, I wore it just for you, I figured it would help ease you a bit."

"Well it's working," he said with a grin as she closed the door. "Are you hungry or something? I'm pretty sure there are some leftovers or something."

Allison shook her head and declined gracefully, "I'm here for you. What's going on between you and Stiles? I've never seen you guys argue over anything and then I hear this."

Scott blushed a little. She was right, they almost never argued. Their friendship was always seamless and it was always so natural for the both of them. I mean, what kind of friend would be excited to hear that his friend got bit by a werewolf?

"I know," Scott said looking down a drop was water running down his cheek and falling on the carpet, "I tried to see what happened. What could have made him feel that way about everything, and all I can think of is that it was me."

Allison moved closer to Scott pulling his head up and moving a wet, limp strand of hair from his face, "you know that's not true."

"But you should have seen him Allison, he looked so angry at me, at himself, at everything; it hurt Allison, it really hurt," Scott's tone reflected the emotion he felt in the car remembering Stiles' face.

Allison grabbed Scott's hand and pulled him up the stairs, "come on, let's dry your hair before you catch a cold." Scott let himself get pulled upstairs and sat on the floor in front of his bed as Allison got a towel and dried his hair.

"Allison," Scott said after a while, "I don't think I'm going to let myself change any more." Allison paused for a bit but continued when Scott started speaking again, "I figured out that everything started to go wrong right after I got bit, so maybe if I stopped letting myself change maybe things would go back to normal."

Allison ruffled through her bag and pulled out a comb before saying, "Scott, nothing is ever going to be normal for us again. No matter how hard we try, it can't. And I think Stiles is realizing that now and he doesn't really know how to react to it."

Scott stayed quit as Allison started to comb out his hair, wincing occasionally. "When was the last time you combed your hair out," the girl reprimanded after hitting a big knot."

Scott shrugged, "the Formal I think, why?"

"Well because you have thick hair and your not are really tiring my bow arm."

Scott laughed a little, things really weren't going to be normal anymore, were they? "Hey Allison," he spoke up as the girl continued with the knot, "would you ever consider kids? I know we're young but, I was just wondering."

Allison stopped and rested her arms on the boys shoulders, "maybe...why?"

Scott shrugged, "I don't know, it's just something I started to think about. I want to be a dad...a dad the way my father never was and I don't want this wolf thing to mess that up for me. I just want normal; a house, a car, two kids maybe and a wife I adore."

Allison smiled at that last part but continued at the knot, "yeah, but I don't know how I'd feel about having to raise my kids with my family being hunters and all. I wouldn't want to keep any secrets from my kids, not like how my family did with me. I want my kids to trust me when I say I'm going to do something instead of feeling like they're being lied to."

Scott nodded and they didn't speak for a while. Allison finally got the knot out and Scott felt like his head was a bit lighter. As Allison put her stuff away he turned and pulled her to her feet.

Pulling her close he started to sway and hummed softly to himself. They stayed like that for a while, not talking, just swaying to whatever it was that Scott was humming. They twirled around his room laughing quietly in the silence every now and then.

"Hey Allison," Scott said softly so as to not disturb the mood, "I love you."

Scott felt Allison smile against his neck before saying, "I love you too, Scott."

And they stayed like that, holding each other until it was time for Allison to leave. Scott walked her down the stairs and opened the door for her, "thanks for coming over, I feel a lot better now."

Allison smiled and then said, "I told you, I was here for you." Scott leaned over and gave her a kiss and was about to pull away when she pulled him back with a hand on his neck. They kissed deep and passionately and said everything to each other that they didn't get to say tonight. Scott pulled away with a shine in his eyes and said, "what would I do with out you?"

Allison shrugged, a smile creeping across her face, "oh I don't know, go crazy maybe." She smiled and kissed him one more time before walking to her car. She looked back as she opened the door and blew Scott a kiss who blushed, she got in her car and drove away.

Scott watched as her car went down the road and then made the turn around the corner. He didn't know what they were going to do about her family, but in that moment he didn't care.

Morgan looked for Stiles when she had left her first class and found him leaning against his locker talking to Danny. He looked up when she was almost near him and excused himself from Danny and walked over to her.

"I'm assuming you want to know if Derek is going to talk to you," he said stopping her where she was. Morgan felt that there was something different about Stiles today, she just couldn't figure out what it was.

"And I'm also assuming that you already know the answer to that question," he continued, not giving the girl a chance to answer. "I told Scott and Jackson where to meet us, they should be waiting for us. Shall I lead or will you?"

Morgan gestured for Stiles to lead the way and followed him. As they passed Danny she couldn't help but notice the weird look the boy was giving them. Something was off about today, she felt it the moment she woke up. Something was on the wind and it was making her sick. She followed Stiles past the lacrosse field and into the woods, she could hear voice talking up ahead.

Stiles cleared his throat, "I know you've picked up on the energy, everyone's a bit agitated today. But that's not the reason for the weirdness between me and Scott, that's way more personal." He was talking so only she could hear but he did not turn to look at her, "you're going to help us and we're going to let you. Don't expect everything to go seamlessly, we're all still unsure about you but we can't do anything without you. You'll get you're meeting with Derek, he's already expressed wanting to meet you. Just keep whatever it was you did yesterday down to a minimum."

Morgan couldn't speak, she had no idea where any of this was coming from but she silently agreed. She didn't like having the upper hand and right now she did not have the upper hand.

They kept walking until they came to the clearing where they always met; Jackson, Scott and Allison were already there and she could tell that they were a little upset. So it wasn't just her who felt the shift in the air then.

"Morgan," Scott said walking to her but wavering a little when he saw Stiles. If Stiles noticed this he didn't let it show, he went and leaned on a tree that was actively out of the way of everyone else.

"Morgan," Scott said once again, "what's going on? Everyone's been feeling weird all morning and it's not just us, I got a call from work asking me to come in and help deal with the restless animals."

Allison spoke up now, "and Lydia's been acting really weird. She won't tell me what's wrong but she's pale and irritated and she keeps snapping at people left and right."

Morgan took a breath, she of all people was really feeling the change in the air, "there's been a shift in the energy. It happened last night while most of you were sleeping but I was up, I kept getting images of bloody corpses in the street. And a girl, with strawberry blonde hair standing on top of the burning school. I don't want to say what I think it means but we should really figure out something to do with Lydia."

Looks were exchanged between the teens when Jackson finally spoke up, "so what are we supposed to do? You're the one who said you knew how to help us. So please, bestow us with some of your wisdom."

Scott looked at Jackson as if to say 'easy' when he saw how sick Morgan was looking. She wavered and Stiles was by her side in a flash, he held her up as she began talking, "okay, I going to need something of Lydia's preferably a lock of hair or a piece of her favorite dress."

It was Allison's time to speak up, "she won't let you take anyone of her dresses, you'd have a better chance asking for a leg...or a piece of hair."

"Well then that's what I'm going to need. Can anyone get it for me," Morgan asked looking around at the face in front of her. When no one volunteered, "Jackson, I'm going to ask you to do it. She already doesn't like you so there won't be any real harm if she hurts you."

Jackson seethed, "what does that mean? If I get hurt there won't be any real harm, if I get hurt there will be harm. To me!"

"Calm down Jackson," Scott said, "we need this and right now, we need Allison on good terms with her."

Jackson narrowed his eyes and walked over to Scott throwing a hand in Stiles' direction, "so why can't Stiles do it? She likes him." Stiles looked away, he wasn't here for that.

Scott looked at Stiles but it was Morgan who spoke up, "no, I'm going to need Stiles' help with what I have to do. It has to be you Jackson. And Allison," she turned to the girl who was walking over to Scott, "I need you to act like everything is normal with Lydia. We might need you to get her to come to wherever it is we have to do this."

"Do what exactly," Allison asked with hesitation.

"We might have to bind her and her energy. So we'll need you to get her to wherever this has to happen."

"Binding," Stiles asked from where he was still holding on to Morgan, "would that hurt her?"

"No," Morgan said patting his hand, "if done right we can get rid of her memory of what happened and just leave her with the powers of the wolf. And if this were a perfect world, we could make sure that she has a handle on what she's capable of doing."

"What is she capable of doing," Scott asked matching Allison's hesitation.

"Well, for starters, this shift we've been feeling? She's caused it, there's an evil that's getting drawn to her because she's not controlling her emotions. And secondly, remember my dream?"

She saw the realization flash across their faces remembering Morgan's morose tone when she told then about her dream.

"Do you still want to meet Derek," Scott asked with a grim look on his face.

"I think that would be best," Morgan said looking him dead in the eyes.

Stiles pulled up behind Jackson's Porsche and Allison's Mazda. He put his car in park and leaned back in his seat with a sigh as Jackson, Scott and Allison got out and crossed the chained barrier to Derek's property.

"Are you okay," Morgan asked from the passenger seat.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine, just a little tired," Stiles said as he undid his seat belt and opened his door. "I'm tired of this, I just want a little normalcy is all."

Morgan got out and closed the door and clutched her books to her chest, she wavered a little. Stiles ran over and grabbed her arm when he saw her slump against the car. It was Stiles turn to ask if she was okay.

"Hmm? No, no, I'm fine. Just a little overwhelmed is all. I've never felt such a powerful shift ever and it's really throwing me off."

Stiles looked her over once with worry heavy in his eyes, "come on, we don't have to be here if you're not feeling well."

"No," she pushed herself off of Stiles and started walking to where the others had disappeared into the wood. "I have to do this, I made a promise and I refuse to lose to that idiot."

Stiles raised his eyebrows, "what idiot?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, not you guys. It was someone else...someone who I have to deal with on my own," Morgan wavered a little and Stiles ran up and grabbed her hand.

"I don't think you're in any condition to deal with anyone on your own, not right now at least. You're helping us with Lydia so why don't you let me help with whoever it is you have to deal with," Stiles looked at Morgan who met is eyes with gratitude.

"You don't have to Stiles," Morgan said in a low voice. "You said you wanted normalcy and you helping me with this would be anything but normal."

Stiles gestured with his free hand, "why not, I mean what's a little more weird on my plate? I'm going to help you, you've helped me so let me return the favor."

Morgan looked up at Stiles and smiled, "they really don't know how special you are, do they?"

"In a way other than being on the short bus? No, I guess they don't," he offered with a laugh.

Morgan laughed with him, "well feel comfort in knowing that I know just what a big deal you really are."

And with that they both walked into the woods and made their way to Derek's house.

Lydia looked at herself in her vanity mirror as she made sure her lip gloss was perfect. She applied another dusting of blush, she had looked pale all day even with make-up on. Her har had been lifeless all day and she had spent longer this morning trying to get her curls back and bouncy but it just wouldn't work. Her clothes hadn't fit her right today and she tripped twice in her favorite heels. Nothing went right for her today, she couldn't remember any of the answers in math class and felt like a fool when she got called on. Her skirt had got caught in her gym locker and ripped, luckily she always carried an extra. And why was everyone avoiding her today? She hadn't seen Allison, or Scott, or Stiles all day. Hell, she would've been okay if she had even seen Jackson, but no one. And even though Danny talked to her everything just felt off about it. What was happening? Why wasn't everything perfect like it was before? Why wasn't she perfect? That's what she wants. That's why she does so well in school, and dresses so well, and works so hard to keep up appearances, she wants to be perfect! That's all she wants!

Lydia hadn't realized until her mom came running in her room that she had punched the mirror.

"Lydia! Are you okay? What did you do," her mom was frantically looking her over.

"Mom, I'm fine," she whined pushing away from her mother. "I'm not hurt."

Her mom was still looking her over; pulling at her and checking her hands and feet, trying to get her to step away from the glass without anything on her feet.

"Watch you step honey, there's glass everywhere. Oh God, what happened? How did this happen Lydia?"

"I don't know mom, I guess I tripped," Lydia lied. "Mom, I'm fine! I'll clean it up, just calm down and bring me the broom please."

Her mother looked at her and then at where the mirror used to be, "fine, just put something on your feet and be careful." She walked out and looked back from the door at her daughter who sat on the bed with a blank stare.

"Derek, this is Morgan," Stiles said from where he stood by Morgan in the Hale house living room.

Derek walked forward with a hand outstretched to Morgan, "finally I get to meet you."

Morgan declined his hand but pulled herself up to her full height, "don't take any offense but I refuse to touch wolves. I know your name and you know mine, we have more pressing matters to deal with."

Derek closed his hand and let it fall to his side, "fine, what can you tell me about Lydia?"

"Aside from what you already know? Not much, but I can't stress the fact that Lydia is responsible for this shift I know you've been feeling. There's something coming bigger than us and bigger than Lydia, she just happens to be a conduit. If we can stop Lydia from realizing what she can do then we can stop this whole thing."

Derek narrowed his eyes at Morgan, "guys, can you give us a minute? I need to ask Morgan something."

The teens exchanged looks and Stiles looked at Morgan and patted his arm with a weak smile of assurance. Jackson gave Stiles and Morgan a weird look before following Scott and Morgan out of the house. Stiles looked at Derek and then back to Morgan before walking out closing the door behind him.

Morgan and Derek rounded on each other as soon as the door was closed.

"You think you're so slick don't you? Using Stiles like that," Derek said with a glare.

"Oh please," Morgan said with a guffaw, "as if you were treating him better. At least with me I let him know how important he is. And just so we're clear, he offered to help me."

"Ugh! I knew there was something about you as soon as they started talking about the new girl who knew way to much," Derek said crossing his arms. "So what is it? You won't tell Stiles so why not tell me, what are you?"

Morgan rolled her eyes, "as if that matters at this point, this whole town is doomed if we don't do anything about Lydia. I've see it, I've seen what she does to this place, and them. I've seen it and you think you cab stop it because you're an alpha , and you couldn't be more wrong. She doesn't have to listen to anyone, she's above your pull over those two idiot betas."

"Oh! What a great way to talk about your friends," Derek said testing her.

"You're not going to get me that easy, I know what you're trying to do. I need them as much as they need me, and even though you won't admit it I know you need me too. I'm going to help them because I promised Stiles I would. He needs me. He needs protection from you and Scott. Jackson isn't an issue, he's so full of himself he couldn't do anything to Stiles if he wanted. Plus, he's so concerned with Lydia he barely remembers to eat. Have you noticed he's lost weight? You should, he is your beta after all. But of course you wouldn't you're too busy with this damn power trip of yours. You can't control these kids no matter how much you want to, sure Jackson and Scott will listen for a while but you know that's fleeting."

Derek was livid but he kept his cool, he wasn't going to do anything until he was sure who she was. He knew they needed her help but she was really infuriating. He exhaled calming himself.

"Tell me," he said in a patient even tone, "how do you know so much?"

She laughed a little, "dogs really are stupid, I'm a witch you fool. I knew who you were before I even got here, I knew about everything before I got here. I knew about Scott and Stiles, and you with your uncle. I was already familiar with some friends of Allison's mom, those idiot hunters think they're so secretive. I was a little surprised by Lydia and Jackson however, but that was only for a while. You know, it's not so hard to find things out when you know where to look. By the way, how does it feel to know your uncle killed Kate, I know you two had a thing going on so I thought I'd ask."

Derek roared and Morgan laughed. Stiles and everyone else came running in and Stiles grabbed Morgan's arm where she had started to waver again.

"Are you okay, Morgan?" Stiles asked as he glared at Derek.

"She's lying to you Stiles," Derek said from across the room, "she's lying to all of you."

"Stiles," Morgan said in a weak voice, "I don't feel so well, can you take me home."

"Sure," Stiles said smiling down at her and leading her towards the door. "You know Derek, I really hope you're happy. She's helping us with something none of us know anything about and here you are going all 'primal yell' at her," Stiles walked Morgan out of the door but stopped when Morgan looked back.

"I'm really glad we had this conversation, Derek," Morgan said turning to leave with Stiles but no one saw the tiny smile on her lips.

Derek roared again as the door closed and turned to the other teens, "she lying to you guys and Stiles is too blind to see it."

Jackson looked up from where he was cleaning his nails, "we know she's lying Derek, but we need her help and she wasn't lying about that part."

Derek's eyes widened, "what?"

"Yeah," Scott said from where he was leaning against the table next to Allison, "but like Jackson said, she promised to help us. And even though she's only doing it for Stiles, she's still helping us."

Derek looked incredulous, "and you guys are okay with this?"

"Yeah," it was Allison who spoke up this time, "we've decided that as long as Stiles feels important we'll do whatever it takes. And even though she's lying she makes Stiles feel good about himself. Plus, if she really does help us with Lydia then why ruin it for Stiles?"

"But how long have you guys known," Derek asked looking from face to face.

"For a while now," Jackson spoke up, "we are werewolves you know, we can hear heartbeats and all. Just tolerate her for as long as it takes, we'll get rid of her when we don't need her help anymore."

"And I'll try to get Stiles to understand," Scott said looking down, "if I can get him to talk to me that is."

"I'm sorry about Derek," Stiles apologized. "I knew Derek was a prick but I didn't expect him to do that."

"There's no need to apologize Stiles, we had a decent conversation anyway," Morgan said reassuring Stiles as they walked through the woods to Stiles' Jeep.

"I know, but still..." Stiles paused when Morgan stopped walking, "what is it?"

"Shh!" Morgan said listening. She could feel something, like they were being watched. A whistling sound and then a flash of light hit the tree next to them. "Duck!" Morgan yelled pulling Stiles down.

"What the what?" Stiles yelled, his eyes finally re-adjusting after the flash. "Hunters? Seriously," Stiles' said incredulously.

Another arrow hit but Morgan got up, she was mumbling something that Stiles didn't understand.

"Morgan! Get down!" Stiles yelled grabbing for the girl but she slipped right through his hand, she was walking towards where the arrows had came from.

Her mumbling got louder bust Stiles still couldn't understand what she was saying. Suddenly Stiles felt the ground shake and the sound of the leaves overhead rustling, some falling down and carpeting the floor.

Stiles looked over to where Morgan was still moving closer as more arrows were flying towards her. Stiles wasn't sure but he could swear that he say the arrows get weighed to the ground by the falling leaves before they could even reach Morgan.

She raised her hands and it was as if the ground had came alive. There was a heavy rumbling and the sound of screams in the distance.

"Run!" Stiles heard a voice yell.

"She's a witch!" Another voice had screamed.

Then there was a last scream and the sound of bending branches, a thud as it made contact with a body.

"Leave me if you know what's good for you!" Stiles heard Morgan's voice say over all of the noise. Another thud and a yowl of pain.

"Get to the cars!" A voice yelled and there was the sound of feet pounding against the ground. Then suddenly everything went quiet and the birds started to chirp again. Stiles looked up to see Morgan looking down at him with a hand outstretched.

Stiles pulled himself up without taking Morgan's hand looked at her with a mix of fear and confusion in his eyes, "what the hell was that?"

Morgan looked crestfallen, "that was part of the weirdness I was telling you about earlier. I'm a witch...a powerful one," she looked up to Stiles who looked more afraid than anything but then sort of shrugged.

"That doesn't surprise me in the least and I feel like it should," Stiles said with a small smile. "So I take it you're feeling better?"

Morgan looked down with a smile and moved a piece of hair behind her ear, "yeah, a lot better actually."

"Do you still want me to take you home," Stiles asked looking down at Morgan.

"Yeah, even though I did all that I'm still weak from this energy shift," Morgan looked up at Stiles as they began walking again.

They got to Stiles' car without saying much of anything else and drove off as Morgan pointed out the way to her house.

"Do you feel that," Scott asked as he felt the ground rumble under his feet.

"Look," Allison said walking over to the window. They could see the trees swaying and leaves blowing in what must have been a strong breeze. Scott was sure he heard what sounded like screams and the sound of branches bending, he looked up to Derek who met his gaze and then back to Jackson who had his jaw set tight. So he wasn't hearing things then. All three boys bolted out the door and flew into the woods right when they had reached where they were sure the screams had come from all they could see where fallen branches and lot of leaves scattered about the place.

"What's that," Jackson said walking over and picking up something from under a pile of leaves. "An arrow," he said touching the tip with his finger.

"Hunters," Scott said with a groan.

"I can bet you five bucks that it was Morgan," Jackson said as he walked over and handed to arrow to Scott. Scott looked up to see Allison walking towards them.

"What's that in your hand," she asked. She knew the answer but she had to ask to make sure.

"It's an arrow," Scott said walking over and handing it to her. "Do you know anyone who uses these?"

Allison examined it, holding it up to the sun and feeling the metal in her hands. "No," she said handing it back to Scott, "no one I know uses that kind but I bet my mother would know who would."

"Do you want to take it and ask her about it," Scott asked looking Allison in the eyes.

"As much as I don't want to," Allison said with a sigh taking the arrow from Scott, "I'm going to."

Lydia looked up suddenly realizing what just happened, she punched a mirror. She looked at her hand, there wasn't any blood or any signs that anything had happened. She flexed her fingers, nothing, no pain or anything. She hadn't even realized she punched the mirror until her mom ran in.

Lydia looked to the door as her mother walked in with a broom and the dustpan.

"Oh honey," her mother said pursing her lips as she bent down to sweep up the glass, "I really wish you'd be more careful. I don't want to have to see you in a hospital any time soon. Your father and I were a wreck when we got the call from Sheriff Stilinski. You really should watch yourself, especially when I can't be there."

Lydia rolled her eyes, "Mom, I'm fine, just go. I'll clean this up...isn't dinner burning?"

Her mom looked up with dread in her eyes as she dropped the dustpan and ran out the room, "not my casserole! Not my casserole!"

She watched her mom run out her room frantic before looking at her hand again. "How..." She walked over and crouched down to pick up the big pieces of glass to put into the garbage. A prick. She dropped the glass and grabbed her finger, the crimson liquid swelled out of her finger but didn't fall. She watched as the blood went back into her finger and the cut seal up as though it never happened. Her eyes were wide as she watched this happen but fell back in shock when her mom came back into her room.

"...my casserole is fine, spinach is okay right? Honey, why are you on the floor," her mother asked as she blinked down at her daughter.

"Mom," Lydia said as she got up off the floor, "I love you, you know that, but I'm going to have to ask you to stop coming into my room...for a while." She put a hand on her mother's arm and pressed down a little, making sure her mom was looking her in the eyes. "Do not come in my room anymore. I want some privacy. If I need you in here, I will call you. Do you understand?"

Lydia's mom nodded blankly and turned on her heel and left her daughter's room.

She blunk. That was easy. And how did she do that? Her mom was never one to just up and do whatever she said. Lydia had a thought, maybe I can get other people to do what I say. She formulated an idea, and opened her closet to look at her full length. She smiled at her reflection, "Lydia, tomorrow is going to be your best day ever." There was a glint in her and a curl in her lip. And somewhere out there a chill ran through the air.

Stiles looked up when he heard a commotion in the school halls the next day; there was a big crowd around Lydia's locker, and there were kids walking to her with gifts and...was she being carried?

"So I guess she figured out what she can do," Morgan said walking up to Stiles.

"Yeah," Stiles said distractedly watching everything at Lydia's locker, "so do we have an attack plan yet?"

"Aside from not getting killed? No," Morgan said as she leaned on the locker next to his.

Scott walked up with his arm around Allison, with Jackson and Danny coming up behind them.

"What's up with Lydia," Danny asked to the group from where they were watching the girl.

"Female powers of persuasion," Jackson offered not trying to tell Danny the truth.

"I've never been able to do that," Allison said from where she leaned into Scott.

"I doubt that," Scott said nuzzling into her, "you've got me pretty hooked."

Stiles rolled his eyes and turned back to where Lydia was, "we're going to have to do something..."

"...And fast," Morgan finished. "There was a bit more to my dream last night and it is not good."

They all looked at her but Danny was the first to say something, "what are you guys talking about?"

They were all silent, when Danny realized he wasn't going to get an answer he exhaled and said, "this is one of those "group things" that I'm not going to find out about, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Stiles breathed out as Jackson patted Danny on the shoulder.

"You idiots!" Mrs. Argent threw a throwing star at the wall by the hunter's head. "I told you not to go near that girl! And what do you do? You attack her and get yourselves hurt!"

Her charges were cowering now, Madam Argent's anger was legend with all of the hunters. Rumor has it that she once decapitated a werewolf with a katana because it ripped her favorite shirt.

"Are you listening to me," she yelled and it was as if the house shook. "I told you NOT to attack her because we know nothing about her!"

"Well," one of the braver hunters spoke up with his arm in a cast, "we know now that she's a witch."

"...a powerful one," another one said with a bandage on her head.

"She could have killed you! This is why I told you not to attack! Why was I cursed with such idiocy," she asked to no one in general as she turned and walked around the island in her kitchen. "God help you if my cake fell," she mumbled as she opened the over door.

Once the hunters saw the look on her face they ran out of the house as a piercing scream came from the house.

"Victoria," Mr. Argent said as he turned the corner into the kitchen, "you have to calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down? Look what they did to my cake," she yelled throwing the fallen mess onto the stove and slamming the oven door closed. "Chris, I just want them to listen when I tell them not to do something."

"They do listen," he said in a calm tone walking over and holding his wife from behind, "they just got a little ahead of themselves."

She leaned into him and sighed, "I know, my nerves have just been all over the place. I got news the other night that there's a hybrid."

Mr. Argent froze and turned his wife towards him, "a hybrid?"

"Yeah," Mrs. Argent said pulling away from her husband to clean up the mess, "and the word is it's in the school...a student."

"And you're worried about Allison," Mr. Argent said with a sigh as he placed his hands on the sink to steady himself. "Do you want to pull her out of the school?"

"No, that wouldn't do anything but upset her more than she already is," she threw the felled cake into the garbage and swept the crumbs off the stove. "We'll just have to tell her to be careful and maybe double up on her surveillance."

"Victoria," Mr. Argent turned to his wife, "we already had surveillance on her and look what happened. We'll just have to tell her the truth and ask her to be safe and aware of her surroundings."

"But she's not even supposed to know what we do," Mrs. Argent said as she leaned against the counter. "I've already got those bumbling idiots sworn to secrecy to not tell anyone about Allison, and now there's wind that the higher ups are sending in some heavy hitters."

"She'll be fine," he grabbed her hand now and spun her around, "she's a big girl. She held her own against that alpha and she's doing wonderful in school, we'll just have to trust her and let her know that we're here if she needs to talk. She has to trust us Victoria, I don't want her to end up like Kate."

"You think you're so smooth," Victoria said leaning into her husband. "Fine, we'll tell her and let her go to school, but that doesn't mean that I'm not going to keep my eyes on her."

"That's all I ask," Chris said giving his wife a kiss as he patted her butt and walked to go put on some music. "You know Allison won't be home for a while," a sly grin forming on his lips.

Mrs. Argent shook her head with a small laugh as she followed her husband out of the kitchen.

To be continued...

I was going to keep going but I felt like this chapter was long enough as it was. I'm sorry that you guys had to read all that, but I was typing it up on my phone and had to break it up to email to myself so I didn't see how long it was until I put it all together.

I really like this chapter though, I'd even say it's my favorite. But I really want to know what you guys think about it. Thank you again for reading.

One last thing, Alana is me. I had to put someone like me in this story and I decided to make her a Danny's mom.


	6. Chapter 6

"I know you're there," the girl said into the mirror in the girls' bathroom. She made sure to come early so that there would be less of a chance of anyone walking in.

"Talk to me," she yelled this time, she was determined to get their attention.

She took a step back as the bathroom started to darken and a swirl of darkness formed in the mirror where her face was.

"I don't appreciate being called out during the day, little witch. What is it that you want," the voice asked sounding annoyed.

"What the hell was that yesterday? Those damn hunters attacked me and the boy! I know you know something so spill," she was composed but her words carried fury behind them.

"Of course I know something...but then everyone knows something, why not ask what you want to," the voice was playing with her, it fed off of her anger.

She let out a frustrated grunt, "I don't have time for this! Did you tell the hunters where I would be?"

Something kin to a laugh came from the mirror, "No we didn't, none of us said anything, I'm sure you remember our agreement. I'm not to tell anyone about you, and you're supposed to have the boy on your side within three," the voice paused, "you have one day now."

Morgan waved her hand, "we don't have to worry about that, he's already agreed to help me. So there's nothing you can tell me about what happened?"

The voice sighed, "we have no new information aside from Madam Argent being livid. They do know that you're a witch now so they're preparing for you. I'm sure they're trying to enlist some special help."

Morgan paused, " what do you mean about 'special help?'"

The voice was getting bored now, " they know about the hybrid and they're upping their security, they've already told Allison to be aware."

"But she already knew about Lydia," Morgan said.

"Yes," the voice said with a sigh, "but they didn't know that. She also approached her parents about something she found in the woods after you left yesterday, they lied."

"What do you mean they lied," Morgan asked.

"You'll see," was all the voice said before the bathroom lights their brightness and Lydia walked in.

Morgan turned the water on quickly and made like she was washing her hands.

"Is someone else in here," Lydia said as she walked over to one of the sinks re-applying lip gloss in the mirror.

"What? No, no one else is in here," Morgan said a little too quickly.

"Is that so," Lydia turned to Morgan now and placed a hand on her arm causing the other girl to look her in the eyes. "Morgan, that is your name right? No one seems to talk about you much."

Morgan swallowed feeling a chill come across the air.

"I want you to do something for me," Lydia said gazing into Morgan's eyes and spoke the next words slowly, "I want you to do everything I say and follow me around like you worship me."

Morgan just stared right back before cracking a smile.

Lydia looked flustered before trying again, "do you hear me? From now on I will be your whole world, you will serve me."

Morgan laughed now, "I'm sorry little girl, but you're barking up the wrong elm tree. You can't use your little powers of persuasion on me."

Lydia stepped back looking a bit frightened before she replaced it with anger, "who do you think you're calling little. I can run this school with a snap of my fingers. Do you see what I've done, they worship me!"

Morgan laughed bigger now, "you may think they worship you but that's because you're doing the thinking for them. They couldn't care less about you now that you're not dating Jackson. What? Did you think that because of your near death experience that you'd somehow have them all at your beck and call? Sorry to break it to you honey, but all of this is a lie and you know it. I can smell it on you."

Lydia was taken aback. No one had ever spoken to her like this, especially not a nobody like this girl. "Do you know who you're talking to," Lydia asked narrowing her eyes.

"Yeah," Morgan said with a laugh, "Lydia Martin, ex-girlfriend of Jackson Whittemore, mathlete, fashion icon -to Beacon Hills High-, victim."

Lydia looked stunned, she opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Now listen little girl," Morgan said closing the distance between her and Lydia, "you can't do anything to me or the others. You see, we all know what your deal is even if you don't. Sure, you think you've got something going but you don't know what a danger you are. I can almost guarantee that you'll be dead in a matter of days."

Lydia's eyes were wide in silent rage as her face turned a new shade of red.

"Don't speak," Morgan said putting a finger to Lydia's lips and ruining her impeccable lip gloss, "I don't want to hear any of your lies." And with that Morgan walked out of the bathroom as a piercing yell came from the bathroom that shook the locks on the lockers and cracked the windows of the classroom doors. Morgan just smiled and went outside to wait for the others.

They all looked at Morgan with disbelieving glares after she explained to them why every window in the school was cracked.

"And you think that was a good idea," Jackson yelled but pulled it back.

"Are you nuts? She's already unstable, I mean, it's like she has split personalities or something," Allison said with her arms crossed over her chest.

Morgan shrugged, "this is good for us. If she's upset she won't be able to concentrate on anything, it'll break her."

"You mean she'll break us," Stiles said leaning up off Scott's locker.

Morgan shrugged, "well yeah, that too, but it'll be fun. Look at her."

They all turned to look where Morgan was pointing behind them. Lydia was a mess and they didn't have to be close to see that her make-up was smudged and her hair was a mess.

"Was she crying or something," Scott asked turning back to Morgan.

A laugh, "I bet she was. Look at what she did to the windows with that wail of hers, yeah, she was crying."

"This isn't funny Morgan," Stiles said in a somewhat serious tone, "Even though she's turned into this she's still one of our friends. You can't torture her like that."

Morgan sighed, "fine, should I go apologize?"

"No," Scott said, "that could make everything worse. We need someone who isn't readily involved in this."

"Danny," Jackson said to himself but was far from a whisper. He looked up at the group, "we could get Danny, he and Lydia are friends still."

Stiles shook his head, "but Lydia is volatile and what would happen if she decided to use that power of hers on him? He could turn into another one of her minions. I'll go, at least that way I know to make sure she doesn't touch me."

Scott objected, "no, she already knows you're involved and I'm sure she'd like to get her hands on you anyway."

"But what about the necklace Morgan gave me," Stiles asked turning to Morgan, "it repelled Derek and he's less of a problem than Lydia is."

"That would work," Morgan said turning to Scott, "it's made to repel evil and anything that might harm him. He'd be perfectly safe, and if she did try anything Stiles would have more than enough time to get away."

"I still think we should send Danny," Scott said not liking having to send his best friend into danger like that, even if he wasn't actively speaking to him yet.

"No," Stiles said looking at Scott with intense eyes, "we're not going to put Danny in danger like that. He doesn't know what's going on and he shouldn't take the fall in case something does happen."

Scott blinked and stepped back putting his hands up, "fine, whatever. Just don't get upset if she hurts you."

"Oh like you'd care," Stiles said separating from the group and walking over to Lydia.

"So I see you guys still haven't patched things up," Jackson said stating the obvious.

"Yeah, I don't know why he's so angry. I mean, is it because I haven't been there? He knows how busy everything's been."

Morgan sighed, "I'm not going to get involved in this."

"But you're already involved," Allison said grabbing Morgan's arm stopping her from walking away.

"Don't touch me," Morgan said forcefully pulling away from Allison. "I said I was going to be here for Stiles, and he hasn't come to talk to me about anything. If I were you, I'd be more concerned with what he feels instead of trying to get something from me." Morgan walked off down the hall and disappeared into a classroom.

"Hey Lydia," Stiles said as he walked up to the girl calming himself.

"Hey Stiles," Lydia said trying to make herself look a bit better, she rubbed the mascara stains off her cheeks and straightened her clothes. "I was just...um, I was just..."

"It's okay Lydia," Stiles said with a soft smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Um, a little sad, but I mean it's nothing I just..."Lydia was looking around feeling self conscious.

Stiles went to put a hand on her shoulder but stopped himself. He hesitated, "you want to talk about it? I don't have class next period so...you know, I have time."

"No, it's fine," Lydia said running a hand through her hair, "I was gonna go home. I'm not feeling too good today, I think it was something I ate."

Stiles raised an eyebrow and was really not looking forward to what he was going to say next, "are you sure it's not about what Morgan said earlier?"

Stiles saw Lydia's face run through a range of emotions before it settled on anger, "I don't care about what she said! I knew you guys longer than her and I know she's lying. You wouldn't do anything to hurt me, right Stiles?"

His heart broke, there were tears in her eyes, the same eyes he used to fawn over. "Lydia," he swallowed hard, "you know I would never do anything to hurt you. Remember when I told you I had a crush on you since the third grade? And I told you that you were the smartest girl in school?"

She nodded.

"You still are, but you have to stop this. You can't keep controlling people the way you do. You're beautiful and you don't need anyone to tell you that. You told me that you refuse to be like every other girl who needs a boy to compliment her so she'll feel good. Don't you think that's what you're doing by getting these people to do everything you want?"

Lydia looked down, somewhere in what Stiles had said had hit a note with her, "Stiles, I don't know what's happening to me. I see myself doing these things but I can't stop it, this isn't who I am. Something's wrong Stiles...with me, I can feel it. And I'm scared."

Stiles looked down at the girl he loved for so long her name had become a part of his everyday thought, "Lydia, what this is, you can control it. You know you can, you're smart enough to know that. You control what it is you want to do and no one has ever told you you can't. I believe in you Lydia, you can control this."

Something changed in Lydia and Stiles felt a nervous chill in the air. He looked around, when had the hallways become so empty? Where was everyone? He looked back down as Lydia closed the distance between them.

"You let this happen to me." Stiles heard a growl come from the girl as she kept walking towards him. Stiles walked backwards so as to keep some distance between them. "You were there. This is all your fault! Why didn't you save me? Why weren't you there?"

"I was there, Lydia. I ran to you, I called to you, I tried to get to you but I wasn't fast enough," Stiles was cut off.

"You were there but you were weak! Look at you, you're still weak! No wonder they make sure you're always in front of a computer screen or with your nose in a book! That's all you're good for! You took me to the Formal, you were supposed to protect me, and you failed!"

Lydia had Stiles backed against the lockers now, "what a joke. I knew you liked me but I knew Jackson was the better choice. He's the captain of the lacrosse team, he's the most good looking guy in this school and he's..." Stiles cut Lydia off.

"Co-captain," Stiles said in a low voice.

Lydia heard him but she narrowed her eyes and wanted to make sure she heard what she did, "excuse me?"

"I said co-captain. Don't you know why you're so angry? He broke up with you. He broke, what was then, your heart. That's why you're so angry and that's why you're the way you are. You were harboring all of this and then when you got attacked on the lacrosse field it just made everything worse. You're a mistake, Lydia. A very tragic mistake."

Lydia let out a piercing yell as she made to grab Stiles, but before she could touch his skin there was an audible ping and light flooded from the stone around Stiles' neck. Lydia was thrown back and slammed into a locker. Stiles hesitated, he wasn't sure if he should go check on Lydia or if he should just run. He was wasting time, Lydia could come to at any moment. He ran, he got to safety and away from the fury that was now Lydia Martin.

Lydia tried to get up from where she had slammed into the locker and felt a searing pain shoot up her right arm. She looked down and saw her wrist was bent at an odd angle. She remembered when she had cut her finger and thought she'd try something. With her left hand she pushed at where the bone was poking at her skin and pushed in. A stifled scream came from her clenched teeth at she popped the bone back in and snapped her wrist back into place. As if on cue she saw the swelling go down and the bones of her wrist heal back into place. She flexed her fingers moving her wrist in a circular motion.

There was the sound of footsteps as she looked up and saw the face of one of her classmates. Thinking fast, she got up and straightened her clothes and walked over to the girl.

"Lydia," the girl said with wide eyes as Lydia walked up to her, "what...how...are you okay?"

Lydia smiled and shook her head with a laugh, "I'm fine, just getting used to these new heels."

The girl looked over to where Lydia's heels were on the floor in front of the bent lockers, "but..." She couldn't get it out as Lydia lifted her up by her neck.

"You didn't see anything," Lydia's voice took on a deathly tone as a chilled breeze wafted through the halls of the school.

The girl gasped and sputtered as she felt the air leaving her body. Her arms flailed at her side while her legs kicked limply.

"You didn't see anything!" Lydia now yelled into the girls face. A silent scream shown on the girl's face as she saw Lydia's eyes rim with an intense red and the veins in her face began to show.

"Did you hear me?" Lydia shook the girl who nodded her head in Lydia's vice grip. A smile came across Lydia's face and she dropped the girl unceremoniously. The girl fell to the floor limp and with ragged breaths as Lydia padded over to the bent lockers and picked up her broken heels. She looked down at herself and frowned saying, "good thing I always keep a spare outfit in my locker."

"Hey, where is Tiffany," a boy in class leaned over to ask Morgan in a whisper.

"Why are you talking to me," she asked not looking up from her books.

"Because you're quiet," the boy said with a smile and he reached a hand over and introduced himself, "name's Collin."

"I don't care," Morgan said with her head still ducked into her books and not acknowledging his offered hand. "Can you just stop talking to me?"

"Nope," Collin said answering her question with a wry smile, "I can't stop because you asked a question so I had to answer."

Morgan sighed and actively ignored the boy for the rest of class. When the bell rang and the class began to empty there was a commotion, Morgan got up having a bad feeling. She rushed to the door and through the crowd that was gathered around someone on the floor.

"Tiffany," someone yelled and she looked up to see Collin pushing through the crowd and falling to his knees next to the girl. "What happened to you," he asked looking his friend over unsure of what to do. His eyes locked on to the bruise around her neck in the shape of a small hand. "Who did this to you?" Tiffany whispered something. He leaned in, "I can't hear you, what?"

Morgan heard Tiffany whisper in a still barely audible voice, "I didn't see anything."

"Move! Get out of here! Go on, you all have classes," Morgan looked up to see Mr. Harris and the lacrosse coach pushing their way through the mass of students.

"If you all don't get to where you have to be right this second I'm giving out detention like it's candy at a kids party!" The coach yelled from where he stood over Tiffany while Mr. Harris was on his knees next to her looking her over. The crowd started to disperse save for Morgan, Collin and Lydia. Morgan did a double-take when she saw Lydia, she could've sworn she saw a smile on the girl's face. Lydia locked eyes with her and gave her a sure smile this time and a small wave as she walked down the hall in her new outfit, heels clicking as she walked.

"What are you doing here...you?" Morgan looked up to where the coach was glaring at her. "Don't you have somewhere you need to be...a Blade Runner convention or something? Or would you like to see me in detention?"

Morgan shook her head and glanced over at where Collin was leaning over Tiffany looking too worried to be of any help and walked away. "I have to tell them," she whispered to herself as she opened her phone and texted Stiles.

Stiles, Lydia attacked Tiffany! -M

She walked as quickly as she could down the school hall. Her phone buzzed.

Where are you? -Stiles

Come outside your class room. -M

Stiles looked up from his phone and saw Morgan standing outside the classroom door waving. He grabbed his bag and walked out of the class, this wasn't going to be good.

"She's getting out of hand," Morgan said as she rushed Stiles down the hall, "we have to do something quick. Now it was just a strangling but it'll get worse and fast."

"So what are we supposed to do," Stiles asked sensing the urgency as he saw Tiffany get carted off into an ambulance with Collin following behind her. "Did you figure out how we're going to get her where we need her?"

"I told you," Morgan said as she was texting someone on her phone, "we're going to get Allison to get her into the woods. And we still need some of her hair, I've already started gathering some of the things we'll need. Are you and Scott still not talking," Morgan asked looking up from her phone as it buzzed again.

Stiles was at a loss, he stumbled, "no, and I don't see why I should have to fix it when he..."

Morgan cut him off, "that doesn't matter anymore, get him on the phone and at least start talking to each other. We need everyone to be on one page for this." Her phone buzzed again.

"What? Who are you texting," Stiles asked reaching for her phone but she pulled it away before he could get a hand on it.

"That's not important," she said evasively, "just get a dialogue going with Scott. He's going to meet you in 3...2...1."

Stiles bumped into someone. It was Scott.

"Okay," Morgan said walking swiftly down the hall, "I'll see you guys later. Stiles! Talk to him," and she was gone if a flourish.

"Scott," Stiles said taking a step back.

"Stiles," Scott said mimicking his reaction. "I see you still talk to Morgan."

"Yeah and," Stiles said gesturing a little. "Listen, I don't think I should have to apologize for what I said. It's how I felt and you obviously weren't going to ask so..."

"No! No," Scott said cutting him off, "it's fine. I was a horrible friend, I should've paid more attention to you with everything that was going on."

"Yeah, well you should have," Stiles said looking around the empty hall. "Wait, why are you out of class?"

"Morgan sent me a text telling me to meet you guys," Scott said pocketing his phone. "Listen, man, I don't like us not talking anymore, and then I hear that you're talking to Danny more than me? What's that about?"

Stiles, exasperated, "oh come on, leave Danny out of this. He was just there alright? Besides, we have bigger things to deal with, Lydia attacked Tiffany. She strangled her and did her weird Jedi mind thing on her. We need Allison to get something of hers."

"I wasn't trying to bring Danny into it, it just hurts when my best friend can go talk to someone we barely speak to about me, us...about whatever it is he's going though and he can't come talk to me," Scott said a little dejectedly.

"Someone who you barely talk to, like him and he was there. But we have bigger things to worry about," Stiles said rushing, "we have to worry about Lydia and making sure she doesn't attack again or worse kill someone."

"Stiles, I..."Scott started.

"No, as of right now none of this matters. We have to get Allison, and Jackson, and hell why not, Derek. We have people to save and right now I feel like I'm the only one emotionally prepared enough for what we might have to do. Just...get them and meet us in the woods. I have to find Morgan," and with that Stiles was gone and Scott stood there with a put-off look on his face as he watched Stiles run down the hall with his phone in his hand.

Danny's phone buzzed in his pocket and pulled it out to see who it was. The screen read that it was a text from Stiles but Danny put it away as soon as Jackson tried to see who it was.

"Who was that? Was that Stiles? I saw you guys hanging out, I think it's really cool, he's been going through some stuff."

"Yeah, well," Danny said with a sigh, "don't make a big deal out of it. He won't tell me what's up but he said he wants "normal" so..." Danny trailed off with a shrug.

"Like I said," Jackson went back to looking uninterested in his classwork, "I think it's cool, he could really use a friend who isn't a beast sometimes."

Danny looked over to his friend, "what...does that mean?"

"Nothing," Jackson said with a shrug, "it means absolutely nothing at all." Danny looked at his friend as he took his phone out to check his messages.

Be careful. -Stiles

Danny looked up and around wondering what could've prompted this. He looked over at Jackson who was busying himself with the margins of his paper, and then back at his phone. He put his phone away with a shaking hand. He felt a chill run down his spine as he looked behind him and saw Lydia staring at him with a cold smile. He was scared and he had no clue why.

"Danny," he heard a voice say from where his head was in his locker. He recognized that voice and looked up trying to control his expressions.

"Hi Lydia," he had to act calm, "how's everything?"

"Pretty good," the strawberry blonde said with a smile, "I heard that you and Stiles had been hanging out a lot lately. How's that going for you?"

He eased a bit closing his locker, "okay I guess, he just needed someone to talk to is all," he shrugged.

"Yeah? Any idea why," Lydia blinked at Danny.

Lydia knew, Lydia knew something and she thought he knew something. He had to be careful, "oh, nothing really, just school and stuff like that. He wanted to talk about his mom a little and just hang out."

"Is that so," Lydia said reaching a hand out to Danny.

"Danny," Jackson yelled pulling his friend away before Lydia could touch him. "I need you to help me with something that's over in this direction," as he pushed his now very confused and slightly relieved friend in a direction away from Lydia. When he was sure they were out of earshot from the girl he pushed him up against a wall. And spoke carefully to him.

"I need you to stay away from Lydia, as far as you can. She's dangerous and I don't want to see you get hurt," Jackson was pressing against Danny's chest but the other boy pushed him off.

Rubbing his chest Danny said, "what's with you guys, first I get that text from Stiles and then you doing this? If there's something going on, I think I should know about it especially if I'm in danger."

Jackson sighed, "I can't tell you about it, not right now at least. Just trust me when I say to stay away from Lydia. In fact, I don't think you should talk to her unless either Stiles, Me, Scott, Allison or Morgan are around. Do you understand that?"

Danny was a little exasperated now as he rolled his eyes, "fine, just...I don't know, give me something. Stiles is really vague whenever we speak and you're hanging out with Scott now like he's your best friend, and then this happens and you're telling me to stay away from Lydia unless I have a guard. What am I supposed to think when everyone around me is acting really weird and I'm told I might be in danger?"

Jackson sighed, "I know and I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything. Just be careful, okay?"

Danny remembered Stiles' text from moments ago and shook his head, "fine, whatever. Are you still coming to my house later, my mom's gonna make spicy pineapple fritters with coconut rice."

"Yeah I'd..." his phone buzzed and Danny saw a change in Jackson's face before he looked up with an apology in his eyes.

"You know what," Danny said shaking his head and putting a hand up, "it's fine, I'm sure it's whatever's going on that I can't know about. It's fine." Jackson looked like he wanted to say something but Danny just shrugged, "it'll be okay, my dad should be home anyway and he doesn't really like you. It's fine." Danny walked away before Jackson could say anything. He heard a buzz and looked over his shoulder to see Jackson check his phone again. He just kept walking, he was determined to not let this get to him.

But it was.

"Allison!"

Allison looked up from where she was sitting in the cafeteria reading, Scott had told her to meet him here. "Oh, hey Lydia," if fear was on her face she wasn't going to let it show. "Where've you been all day?"

With a slight turn of her head Lydia smiled, "where have I been, where have you been?" Lydia sat at the table across from Allison, and Allison nonchalantly pulled her hands back in a way suggesting she was putting her book away.

"Oh!" Lydia said in surprise noticing this, "you don't have to worry, after what happened with Stiles earlier I guessed you guys had me figured out. I'm not going to try anything, I just wanted to talk."

Allison looked down her nose at her friend, "fine, let's talk." Allison checked her watch, where was Scott?

"Scott's on his way, I can hear him coming. I just wanted to ask, why do you guys think it's okay to act like I don't know what's going on? I'm not as dumb as I pretend to be. So please, tell me what is it you guys have planned, I mean that thing with Stiles wasn't a coincidence and you guys have been less than welcoming to me. So what is it?"

"I have no clue what you're talking about," Allison said, getting up when she saw Scott at the door. "I have somewhere to be," she walked over to where Scott stood looking apprehensively at the exchange between the two girls.

"What's..." Scott started but couldn't finish his thought before getting pulled down the hall and out of the school by Allison.

"We have to go."

"I really don't think it's necessary for you to send anyone else down here," Mrs. Argent said into the phone.

Mr. Argent looked up from some files he had taken out of the family archives.

"I understand that, but we have everything under control...yes, there's been tell of a hybrid but we can handle it."

Mr. Argent put the files down investing himself in the conversation his wife was having over the phone.

"No, my husband understands the importance of the situation...No, regardless of what you heard, my daughter does not know anything about what we do. Don't treat me as if I'm some novice, I was killing werewolves while you were still sucking your thumb...Well I'm not approving their transfer, this is our district and you can't just send them down here!" She looked incredulously at the phone and then to her husband, "they hung up on me. Those idiots hung up on me!" She was starting to seeth now. "That little brat thinks that he can change how things have been for decades just because someone gave him a stapler? He hasn't even been on the field yet! I..."

Mr. Argent had his arms around his wife now and spoke softly into her ear, "you have to calm down, you know this isn't good for you." He felt the tension drain from his wife.

"Fine, fine, it's just...why is everyone so inadequate?"

Mr. Argent laughed and pulled his wife in closer, "don't worry, we can handle this. We're prepared and we have been for a while, and even though you don't like the idea of it, Allison is ready too. She can handle her own, I've seen her while she practices in the woods, she's good. Trust her," he turned his wife towards him, "trust me, and trust yourself." He gave her a light kiss on her forehead and let her sigh into him.

"Okay," she said softly, "okay."

To be continued...


	7. Chapter 7

The two bodies burst into the dark room; a giggle as a tank top was discarded on the floor, and a shirt was thrown at the wall. Kate ran a hand up Derek's abs as a smile crept across her lips. "My, you sure have grown," she said as she placed a kiss on his lips.

His breathing was ragged and he moved into her lips, not wanting to break the kiss. She pushed him back onto the unmade bed and knelt down over him. "Tasty..." Kate smirked as she licked Derek's abs. "I never knew being toned could taste so...scandalous."

Derek's eyes flashed a startling blue at the feel of her tongue, "we shouldn't be doing this."

Kate looked up into his dark eyes and smirked, "there's a lot of things we shouldn't have done." She straddled him and bent over to place a kiss on his lips, his neck, his chest, a bite on his nipple that made him arch up into her. Her name escaping his lips in a guttural tone.

"Kate, no," he said with quickened breaths, "we can't do this."

"Oh but we can, and we have," she said as she licked her way down his chest and placing a kiss on the spot just above his waistband.

"No," he said as he propped himself up on his elbows.

"You're saying no but all I see in those blue eyes of yours is 'yes,'" Kate was enjoying herself. She placed a hand on the buckle of his belt.

"Kate," Derek said a bit more sternly now, "no." She undid his belt and unzipped his pants. "I said no," Derek yelled and woke up with a start to find that he wasn't alone.

"Did someone have a nice dream," Stiles asked with a knowing smile.

"Someone sure did by the sounds of it," Morgan said with a smile that matched Stiles'.

"I'm sure someone was having a really nice dream about Kate, but I don't know who it was," Scott said looking around as if confused.

Derek's eyes grew dark and intense as he sat up in bed, "what are you guys doing here?"

"Lydia attacked someone," Jackson said from where he was leaning on the door frame.

"A girl, her name's Tiffany, and from what Morgan told us she was strangled," Allison added from where she stood by the window.

"If we're going to stop her we have to do it soon. She's getting more and more volatile as the days go by," Morgan said from where she was now looking through one of the books she always carried with her.

"So what are we supposed to do," Derek asked standing up to grab a shirt that lay haphazardly among some of his things.

"We're going to try a binding," Morgan said from where she was still busying herself in her book. "If I...If we can do it right, there's a good chance that we can just suppress all of her powers and she'll never be the wiser as to what she can actually do."

"And how do you propose we do that," Derek asked as he slipped the shirt over his head.

Stiles cleared his throat, "we'll need something of hers. Allison, did you try to get something we can use from her?"

"I don't see that happening, not unless she's distracted," Allison said leaning off of the wall. "Besides, wasn't it Jackson who was supposed to get something of hers?"

They turned to look at Jackson who swallowed hard, "yeah, well, I haven't seen her so..."

"Jackson, we can't do anything until we have something. You probably won't even have to speak to her, just get some hair from her brush that would work," Morgan said from where she was reading in her book. "I already have all of the supplies we need and I've spoken to someone who might be able to help us. All we need is that hair."

Scott spoke up now, "Jackson, can't you and...I don't know, Danny just sit and talk with her? I mean, she does see to be more at ease whenever Danny or Stiles is around. And Allison," Scott turned to his girlfriend, "maybe you can go in her locker and just get some hair off of her brush? I'm pretty sure she carries more than one anyway."

"That does make a lot more sense," Morgan said looking up from her book, "Danny would need protection, and Jackson would be able to protect him. And if you guys play it right Allison would be able to get in and out of Lydia's locker without her ever being the wiser."

"Morgan," Stiles said turning to the girl, "if you guys are really going to do this, can you give Danny a stone like mine?" He turned to look at the group now, "since we're all bent on not telling Danny what's going on, and you all want to get him involved with this Lydia thing, I think it would be best if he wasn't going into this completely vulnerable."

They all exchanged looks before looking at Morgan.

"Fine," the girl said grabbing Stiles' hand, "I'll get him one. He's right you guys, believe it or not Danny is a part of this group here and we have to make sure he doesn't get hurt."

"Yeah," Jackson spoke up, "I mean, Danny looks a little upset over this whole thing and then with what almost happened in the hall today with Lydia...he just seems more upset. I think it would be right to give him one instead of treating him like he needs to be babysat."

"Wait, is Danny that same guy that..." Derek started but was cut off my Stiles.

"Yes, yes he is, Miguel." Stiles said with a smile, "and he was helpful then and now it's time we make sure he doesn't get hurt."

Derek glared at Stiles and the smug smile he had on his lips, while everyone looked between them a bit confused.

"Who's..."Scott asked hesistantly, "Miguel?"

"Oh just an old..." Stiles started but was cut off.

"No one," Derek cut in. "He's no one."

"Oh well that's not a nice way to talk about..."Stiles was cut off again.

"So Morgan," Derek said speaking over Stiles, "when can you get him a necklace?"

"Well..." Morgan thought to herself, "I always like to have extra for just in case...I have some, but I'll have to go home for them."

"Okay good," Stiles said, "so I'll go with you then and Scott can..."

"Actually," Morgan said cutting him off, "I kind of want Scott to come with me."

Everyone was floored now, since when did Morgan actively want to hang out with Scott? They all looked at each other with confused looks before turning to Scott.

"Umm..." Scott was really unsure about this, "okay...?"

Morgan looked at the group and their confused faces before saying, "I told Stiles earlier that we all need to be on the same page for this, and the way I've been treating Scott and the rest of you isn't going to help that. I know you guys don't trust me and I can't blame you, but I want to try and change that. I know I said I was here for Stiles but I can't be here for him when all of you guys won't trust me...especially when we have a problem like Lydia on our hands. I'm hoping I can change your minds about me and I...I don't know."

The room was silent after what Morgan had just said but it was Scott who was the first to speak up.

"Morgan..." he searched for something to say but couldn't come up with nothing.

"No, it's okay," Morgan said as she picked up her books. "You don't have to say anything. Listen...umm, I'm gonna go and uhh...get that stone for Danny. Umm, I'll see you guys later okay?" Morgan left the room in a flourish.

"Morgan," Stiles ran after her but lost her once she left the house. Scott walked up to where Stiles had his hands behind his head looking around for any trace of Morgan.

"Stiles, I..." Scott started.

"No..." Stiles said quietly, "it's fine. She just needs some time."

Scott wanted to say something, he felt like he had to say something...he just didn't know what.

"Scott," Stiles said turning to his friend, "if you guys didn't trust her why did you let her get so close to us?"

Scott breathed out and looked his friend in the eye, "because she made you feel good about yourself, and we all just wanted to see you happy. Plus, she wasn't lying about being here to protect you...so we just thought that we should give her a chance."

"But did you really," Stiles asked. Scott looked down and really didn't know what to say. "That's what I thought," Stiles said looking away from his friend. "Listen, she's right, we all have to be on the same page and it can't just be her trying to get you guys to trust her. You guys have to try too, and I think you going to help her would be a really good start."

"But how am I supposed to help her," Scott asked. "I don't even know where she lives."

"Yeah," Stiles said with a small smile, "but I do."

Scott sent a text to Allison telling her where they were going and to meet them at his house later.

Scott looked over from the passenger seat of Stiles' Jeep. "How do you know where she lives?"

"Well," Stiles said obviously, "she is my friend and I took her home after she had first met Derek, she showed me the way."

"Have you ever seen the inside," Scott asked still looking at his friend.

"Nope, and that's why you're going to be my eyes and ears and tell me just how weird she is," Stiles said with a smile.

"Why are you smiling," Scott asked looking a little scared.

"No reason," Stiles said trying to ease his friend, "I just want to get to know more about her and what better way than seeing where she sleeps? And because I can't go and my best friend can, it's like the second best thing than me actually being there."

"Fine," Scott said remembering just how weird his best friend is, "but won't she be upset over us showing up unannounced, she did leave in a bit of a hurry."

Stiles waved it off, "trust me, she knows we're coming."

Stiles' Jeep pulled into the driveway of a house on the opposite of town. The boys looked up at a house that was not as brightly colored as the rest and the walkway was not as well kept.

Stiles looked over at his friend and then towards the door, "well, we're here."

Scott swallowed hard, "do I really have to do this?"

"Yup! You said you were going to try and you're going to try, the door's over there buddy," Stiles said with a little enthusiam as he looked at his friend.

Scott gave his friend a withering glance as he opened the door and stepped out of the Jeep.

"I'll be right here if you need me," Stiles said out his driver's side window at Scott as he walked up to the door. "Play nice!"

Scott rolled his eyes as he looked at where his friend sat in the car with a smile on his face and went to knock on the door. He hit something soft and looked up with wide eyes at a man who towered in the door frame.

"Ummm...ummm...hi, I'm here to see Morgan," Scott stammered as Stiles ducked down into his seat.

The man didn't say anything and just stood there in his black clothes staring at Scott with a glare that rivaled Derek's.

Thinking the man didn't hear him, he repeated himself a bit louder, "I'm here to see Morgan, we kind of have something we need to talk about."

The man just stood there before turning to show where Morgan was standing by the stairs.

"It's okay," Morgan said looking at the man. "Dad," she grabbed his arm, "it's okay."

"He's a wolf, Morgana," the man said in a deep gruff voice. "I told you to stay away from them."

"I know, dad," Morgan said still holding her dad's arm, "but right now, we have bigger things to worry about."

The man just grunted in reply to his daughter and stepped aside to let Scott in. Scott looked back to where Stiles was in the Jeep peaking over a magazine he had to cover his face, and walked in.

Scott stepped to the side as the man who was Morgan's father closed the door and kept his eyes glued on him. Scott felt powerless under the man's unflinching eyes and shrank within himself.

"Come on," Morgan said walking up the stairs, "my room's this way." Scott turned to follow the girl before looking back at her father.

"Leave your door cracked, Morgan! And he's not staying for dinner," the man yelled up the stairs after the kids. "I refuse to feed a stray."

Morgan showed Scott into her room and closed the door, "my dad's harmless, I promise. He's just...protective."

"I wasn't scared," Scott said what he hoped was convincingly as he looked around the room. It was dark purple and she had candles everywhere, some were lit and some had dried wax that was melted over the shelves and the bottles she had placed them on. A desk in the corner of her room was covered in books and papers, there was a five pointed star in a circle burned into the wood of the desk. He looked around noticing the circled star was all over her room; on some of the books, on a necklace that hang above her bed, it was impressed into some of the candles, and on a ring that lay on her bedside table.

"You're about as bad a liar as Jackson," Morgan said. "Just watch what you say and do, he won't hesitate to protect me if he feels I've been hurt."

"So he's just like every other dad when it comes to his daughter," Scott still looked around the room with his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah," Morgan said, "except they won't be able to pin it on him."

Scott swallowed hard, "what?"

"Here's the stone for Danny," Morgan pulled a locked box down from one of the top shelves of her room. It too had the circled five pointed star embossed on the wood.

Scott just had to ask, "what's with all the circled stars, what do they mean?"

Morgan almost laughed from where she took down a book from the shelf to get the key, "it's a pentagram or a pentacle, it all depends on who you ask. But it's used in rituals for the invocation of deities and elementals in neopagan ceremonies and rituals."

"Okay..." Scott said not really understanding what she said.

Morgan sighed, "it's used for magic."

"Oh yeah," Scott said finally understanding, "I've seen it in movies before."

Morgan rolled her eyes and opened the box. Seven stones similar to the one around Stiles' neck lay perfectly placed in a bed of monkshood on the dark velvet lining of the box. Scott turned his nose up as the smell of wolf's bane wafted from the box and filled the room.

"I dried them before I placed them in the box -the monkshood I mean- that way they keep their aromatic potency. So it's kind of like potpourri." Scott watched as she took out a stone and wrapped it in silver wire and formed a loop for the chain to go through. She took out a sliver chain that lay in a little pocket within the box and ran it through the loop she had fashioned and clasped the necklace. She help it out admiringly and held it over to Scott, "isn't it beautiful?"

"Yeah," Scott said backing away from it, "stunning."

"Don't worry," Morgan said placing the stone in a small black pouch, "I wasn't going to use it on you." She closed the box, locked it and put it back in it's place on the shelf.

"Morgan," Scott said once the box was away and the air had started to clear, "about what you said at Derek's house...I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be," Morgan said not making eye contact with Scott as she busied herself with the things on her desk. "I was mean to you guys, even more so when Stiles wasn't around. I just want you guys to trust me because...you guys are the only friends I have here, and it's lonely when the people you talk to everyday don't believe a thing you say."

Scott wasn't sure but he could swear he saw a tear fall on a piece of paper she was holding. Morgan brought a hand up wiping her eyes before moving her hair out of her face. She looked at Scott with a smile for the first time since he's known her and he felt a pain in his chest. It was the smile of someone who was sad and trying to hold it in for the sake of company.

"Oh Morgan," Scott said walking over to her, "I..."

"It's fine," Morgan said holding a hand up to stop him. "I'm just a little emotional is all."

There was a knock on the door and Scott jumped. Morgan wiped her face and composed herself as she walked over and opened the door.

"Morgana," her dad said, "I told you not..." he father stopped noticing his daughter's puffy eyes and narrowed in on Scott. He pushed past his daughter and made his way to the boy who now shrank under the man's scrutiny. "What did you do to my daughter," he said gving Scott a crippling glare.

"Daddy no," Morgan said pulling at his arm, "he didn't do anything. Leave him alone."

"Morgan," he said turning towards his daughter, "I told you that if anyone ever hurt you that you were supposed to tell me."

"But he didn't hurt me dad," Morgan said looking at her father with pleading eyes.

"Then why are you crying?" He placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder and said with a sudden softness, "after everything that happened I thought moving here would've been better for you."

"It is dad," Morgan said as tears started to swell in her eyes. "Everything has been really good. I have friends now, dad, and Scott's one of my friends and he just came over to see me. I have people that come to see me now, dad," Morgan looked at her father with that same sad smile.

The towering man glared over his shoulder at Scott before sighing, "fine, but I'm keeping my eye on him. And keep this door open." The man left the room but not before shooting one more glare at Scott. The door stayed opened as they talked.

Scott hesitated before asking, "what happened before?" When Morgan didn't say anything Scott walked over and grabbed her hands. Morgan steeled at the touch but couldn't bring herself to pull away. "You have to talk to people if you want them to trust you," he looked her in the eye as he said this. "Let me trust you."

Morgan sighed and pulled away from Scott, and sat on the floor in front of her bed and patted the carpet next to her. Scott walked over and sat down facing the sad girl before him, looking her in the eye to let her know that she had his attention.

Morgan sighed looking away from Scott's eyes, "I know I said I was sent here, and I was, but it was more than just being brought here by fate. The last place I lived wasn't so...accepting, once they found out what I was. My parents had told me constantly to be careful but I was stupid and excited about having powers. I got careless one day and accidently made one of the girls who kept teasing me a mute. There were already rumors floating around that I was a witch and then when that happened it pretty much sealed my coffin. I was tormented daily by her friends and all the other kids in the school who were scared to go against her, it was hell, and I couldn't do anything to them. We're taught from a young age to not use our powers to hurt anyone and what I had done wasn't to kosher with my parents."

"But everything that happened in the woods after you left Derek's house that day..."

Morgan looked at Scott, "yeah, but that was different, it was self defense. The hunters had attacked me and Stiles and I had to make sure he didn't get hurt."

Scott looked at her with curiosity in his eyes, "so it was the hunters then, but how did you make them run away like how they did?"

"I did some things I shouldn't have and I payed for it," Morgan said looking down and picking at the carpet. "It's fine now though...or it will be."

"What do you mean by that," Scott looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Nothing," Morgan said shaking her head and moving a piece of hair behind her ear. "Scott, I know I've been a bitch and there's no excuse for that, but can we just start over and get to know each other...as friends?" Morgan held out a hand to Scott.

Scott looked at her hand and taking it said, "I'd like that. Hi, my name's Scott McCall."

She laughed and shook his hand saying, "Hello, Scott, my name's Morgan Cassiel."

"Cassiel," Scott blinked, "what kind of name is that?"

"Hebrew," Morgan said getting up. "Here," she handed the black pouch with the stone in it to Scott, "tell Stiles to give this to Danny."

"Why can't I do it," Scott asked standing up.

"Because I know it'll make you sick," Morgan placed the pouch in his hands and went over to her shelf and took down a book. "Tell Stiles to read this," she handed the book to Scott, "if he wants to help me he's going to have to have this pretty much memorized."

Scott took the book and was about to ask a question before he was moved out into the hall by Morgan.

"Scott," Morgan said as he walked him down the stairs, "thanks for coming over but you need to leave now."

"Why," Scott asked as she opened the door and pushed him out.

"You just can't be here anymore," Morgan said as an eerie feel crept through the air.

Scott turned around and saw a woman with really sharp features and Morgan's dark hair at the top of the stairs. If ever there was an intensity in a stare, this woman could bore a whole through time. Scott swallowed, and clutched the book and pouch containing the stone as he was overcome with this fear that was paralyzing.

"Scott," Morgan said in a low and intense voice, "you have to go."

Scott stumbled back from where Morgan had pushed him but couldn't take his eyes off of the woman who wore a black dress that flowed as if moved by some unknown breeze, and the last thing he saw as Morgan closed the door was the woman's intense eyes still locked on his. He stood there, still paralyzed from the woman's unwavering eyes and didn't react until Stiles honked the horn.

"Scott," Stiles called from the car, "come on, we've gotta go!"

Scott walked to where Stiles' voice was coming from but his eyes were still locked on the dark red door that he had just left. When he had backed into the Jeep he turned around and ran to the passenger door and got in with his eyes still locked on the door.

"Dude," Stiles said rubbing hs friends shoulder to coax him out of this daze, "are you okay?"

Scott nodded his head silently and put on his seat belt.

"Well, okay then," Stiles turned the car on and backed out of the driveway. They were a ways away from the house when Stiles just had to ask, "what's up with you? What happened in there?"

Scott looked over from where he was staring out the window, "we talked...I kind of feel bad for not giving her a better chance. She's just a lonely girl, more lonely than the rest of us I think."

"Okay..." Stiles said from where he was focused on the road, "but that's not what has you all weirded out."

"No," Scott said looking out the windshield, "we were talking pretty nicely but then she changed and kicked me out, but there was this woman."

"A woman," Stiles asked turning to look at Scott before looking back at the road, "do you mean her mom?"

"I don't know," Scott said going back to staring out the window, "but she was so intense. Those eyes. She was just...scary and she just kept staring at me with those dark, intense eyes. Never in my life have I been as scared as when she looked at me from the top of the stairs. And whoever she was, Morgan didn't want me there anymore and I think that woman was the reason behind it."

"Okay...?" Stiles said raising an eyebrow before adding, "do you think we have to worry about this woman?"

"I don't know..." Scott said clutching the book before he realized, "oh hey, here's the stone for Danny. She told me to let you give it to him, and she told me to tell you to memorize this book."

Stiles looked over at the book in Scott's hand, "she seriously wants me to read that, it's as thick as a text book."

"Yeah well, she said that if you're going to help her that you had to read it," Scott placed the book on the dashboard and held the black pouch out to Stiles. "Here, take this, it's starting to make me sick."

Stiles took the pouch containg the stone and put it in his shirt pocket, "so does this mean that tomorrow our plan goes into action?

"Yeah, I guess so," Scott said as he pulled himself up in the seat. "You should give that to Danny as soon as you can, and I guess explain to him what's supposed to happen tomorrow."

"But I can't tell him anything about what's actually happening," Stiles said in a tone that hinted at how much he hated having to lie to Danny.

"Not yet," Scott said turning to his friend, "not until we're sure he has to know."

"And you think us sending him to talk with Lydia and needing protection while talking to her isn't evidence that maybe he should know what's happening," Stiles said turning to his friend half expecting an answer.

Scott sighed, "Stiles, I know what you mean but I don't think we can risk anyone else knowing about this."

"Fine," Stiles said dropping the subject. "So am I taking you home or am I dropping you off at Allison's?"

"Home," Scott said leaning his head against the cool glass. "I need a nap."

Stiles shook his head looking as Scott and looked his rearview mirror before saying, "yeah, I could too."

Morgan turned from where she had closed the door and was face to face with those dark eyes.

"Morgana," the woman said in a thick Persian accent, "who was that boy, and why was he in my home?"

"He's my friend," Morgan tried to push past the woman but an arm shot out blocking her way. "Mom, can I just go to my room?"

"What did I tell you about hanging with stray dogs Morgana," the woman said.

"That I could catch fleas," Morgan said with her eyes trained on the ground.

"Look at me," the woman said in a controlling voice. Morgan looked at her mother and her intense green eyes. "You are to never see him again, do you understand me? Never."

"Does this mean that I'm not supposed to go to school then," Morgan said flippantly. A hand came across her face so quickly she didn't know what happened. She touched her cheek as it started turning red and glared at her mother.

"Don't you ever disrespect me like that! You ungrateful little..."

Morgan pushed past her mother and ran up to her room, slamming the door closed she threw herself on the bed and let the tears fall in silence.

"Hi, um, is Danny home," Stiles asked the man that opened the door to Danny's house.

"Who are you," the man said looking the boy over that stood in his doorway.

"I'm Stiles, a friend of Danny's from school. I kind of have to give him something," he looked the man in the eye as he said this.

"Stiles honey, is that you," a woman's voice came from behind her husband. Stiles looked over the man's shoulder at Danny's mother and smiled. "Move it Richard, let him in."

The man sighed and stepped to the side to let Stiles in. Stiles walked in and was pulled into a hug by Alana. "Oh my goodness, how have you been," she asked as she stepped back to look him over.

Stiles just smiled awkwardly and looked over to her husband who stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm fine," he said looking back at Alana, "I just came to give Danny something."

"Oh okay," she said straightening his clothes. "Are you hungry dear, where's your father?"

"Still at the station but he told me that he should be home before bed though," Stiles said with a shrug.

"Well then I insist you stay for dinner," the woman said taking Stiles hand and leading him up the stairs.

"I...I don't want to be a..." Stiles was cut off.

"...Bother? Pish posh, you're staying for dinner," Alana pulled Stiles along and opened the door to Danny's room. "Honey, look who came by...ta-da," she said with a flourish and gestured to Stiles as he walked in looking embarrassed. "He's gonna stay for dinner," she looked at the boys with a bright smile.

Danny just gestured loosely with his hands and said, "okay...what are you here for?"

"I had to talk to you about something," Stiles said awkwardly as he put his hands in his pockets.

"Well," Alana said looking at the boys and clapped her hands, "dinner should be ready in a few and...I'll leave you boys to it." And just like that she was gone.

"So what did you have to talk to me about," Danny said leaning back in his computer chair and pushed his homework away from him.

"Umm," Stiles stood awkwardly not sure what to do, "I kind of have to give you something from Morgan." Stiles took the black pouch out of his shirt pocket and handed it to Danny.

Danny opened the pouch and took the stone out, he looked at it weird, "what is it?"

"It's a tiger iron stone, it's used for protection," Stiles explained. Pulling his necklace out of his shirt he showed it to Danny, "I have one just like it."

Danny looked at the one around Stiles' neck and at the one in his hand. "Why are are you giving me this?"

Stiles gestured to the bed and Danny nodded, sitting down he cleared his throat, "I can't get into all the details but it's Lydia. There's something wrong with her and we're all just looking out for you, they won't let me tell you what but just...can you just wear it?"

Danny looked at Stiles and then unclasped the necklace and put it around his neck, "Stiles, what's going on?"

Stiles looked at him with pained eyes, "I can't tell you right now...I really want to but I can't."

Danny got up and sat on the bed next to Stiles, "is Lydia the reason why you guys have all been acting weird?" Stiles bit his lip and nodded his head. "Okay, is Lydia dangerous?"

Stiles nodded again and put his head down, "Danny, you have to be careful around her. She's the one that choked Tiffany today and she...just be careful around her okay. Don't take that off," Stiles pointed to the necklace, "and don't let anyone touch it, it'll keep you safe." Danny nodded and put the stone in his shirt.

Stiles breathed out a little relieved that he was able to get Danny to understand without having to lie to him. "So," Stiles said trying to change the conversation, "what's your mom cooking for dinner?"

"Alana," Richard said in a hushed voice as his wife came down the stairs, "who is that boy?"

Alana made her way to the kitchen with her husband following her, "he's Danny's friend."

"And you're just going to let him go up in Danny's room like that," Richard stood next to his wife as she busied herself over the stove.

"Oh hush," Alana said not paying her husband much attention, "it's good for Danny to have friends that aren't Jackson, and he's a sweetheart."

"You act like you know the boy," Richard said crossing his arms over his chest.

"When he was here last time we spoke for a little bit, he seems so sad and if our Danny can make him happy what's wrong with that," Alana asked turning to her husband.

"Nothing," he said defensively, "it's just...are you sure they should be up in his room with the door closed?"

"What's wrong with it? I trust Danny and Stiles is a nice boy," Alana said with a shrug.

"They're teenage boys is what's wrong with it and Danny's, you know..." he couldn't finish that sentence.

"Gay? You can say it, Richard. Our son is gay and he has a friend that needs him right now, and if Danny can help him then why should we worry about what they might do?" Alana walked over to the fridge and took out a bottle of wine.

"Oh, you're drinking again," Richard said with a huff.

"What's wrong with a glass of wine with dinner? And my drinking is not the problem here, I know when to stop. The real issue here is your problem with our son's sexuality," she pulled a glass out of the cupboard.

"I don't have a problem with Danny's sexuality and you know that," Richard said as he walked over and took the glass from Alana. "I was there and I told him I loved him when he decided to come out to us. I have never once judged him and you know that."

"Is that so," Alana said as she took down another glass. "So what do you call this converstion we're having now? Your freaking out at our gay son having a friend over that just happens to be a guy," Alana poured some of the white wine into the glass and stepped away just as Richard went to take to glass from her.

"This is called a standard worry that any parent would have about their child having company over in their room with the door closed," Richard said following his wife around the kitchen trying to take the glass from her.

Alana took a sip and held an arm out keeping her husband away, "I trust Danny and even though I just met Stiles, I trust him too. Move, my fritters are going to burn."

Richard stepped to the side but followed his wife, "you don't know anything about this boy, this...Stiles."

"I know he has an honest face and I know that I'm a good judge of character," Alana said as she turned off the stove and pulled out some plates. "We're not going to talk about this anymore," she said walking over to the stairs and callig up to the boys, "boys! Dinner's ready!" Richard gave her a disapproving glare when she walked back in the kitchen to get the plates.

"Don't give me that look," she said looking at her husband in passing. "And behave yourself." Danny and Stiles walked into the dining room just as Alana had finished with the place settings. "I hope you boys are hungry. Stiles dear, I hope it doesn't bother you that we eat vegetarian in this house."

Stiles shook his head in complience, "as long as it's food, I'm happy with it."

"I knew I liked you," Alana said with a smile as she glanced over at her husband.

"So how are we supposed to do this," Danny asked.

"Well," Scott said from where the group was watching Lydia from around a corner. "I guess you and Jackson are just gonna have to get her away from the locker."

"Yeah, but how," Jackson said with as little enthusiasm as anyone can have while still being conscious.

"Just get her to walk with you guys," Allison said as she turned and leaned against the wall next to Morgan. "She'll start talking, that is Lydia after all."

"Yeah," Stiles said licking his lips, "if 'Lydia after all' includes the now psychopathic girl that stands before us? Then yes, she is Lydia after all."

"Can you guys just go," Morgan said as she slumped against the wall. "We had better get this over with before anything else happens."

They all turned to look back at where Morgan sat on the floor against the wall. Her hair falling over her face as she hung her head down. Scott knelt beside her, "what's wrong Morgan, you've been quiet all morning."

"Yeah well," Morgan sighed heavily, and then looked up at where everyone was watching her with worried eyes. "It's fine, let's just..." Morgan said using the wall to stand up, "let's just get this over with. Danny, Stiles gave you the stone right?" Danny pulled the necklace out of his shirt to show the girl. "Okay, good, so you should be safe. Jackson, watch what you say to her, we don't want her getting more upset than she already is."

Jackson and Danny looked at each other as Stiles spoke up, "remember guys, you have to keep her away for as long as you can. The more time Allison has the more time we have before she suspects anything."

Scott stood up and grabbed Allison's hand, "you're gonna be fine right?"

Allison shook her head with a smile, "yeah, I mean, why wouldn't I be? Her locker's right there."

Biting his lip Scott nodded his head, "just be safe okay?"

Allison looked down and moved a piece of hair behind her ear, "okay."

Rolling his eyes Stiles said over the now awkward silence and pushed Jackson and Danny around the corner, "well, now that we're all diabetic I think it's time for you guys to get a move on." Danny and Jackson resisted a little but moved anyway. They watched as the boys walked over to where Lydia was checking her mascara in a mirror on her locker door.

"Hey Lydia," Danny spoke up first with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "How've you been?"

"Hey Danny," the girl said with a smile to match Danny's before she looked over. "Jackson..." she pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest with a small shake of her head, "what are you guys doing here?" She closed her locker and fixed her bag over her shoulder, "I thought you guys were too busy with 'Team Scott' to bother with little ol' me anymore."

"Yeah well," Danny said shoving his hands in his pocket, "we thought we'd hang out with you today...if that's okay."

Lydia sucked in her cheek and began walking, "fine, but you guys are gonna do what I want. Everyone's suddenly decided to avoid me, have you guys seen Allison? She's not answering my calls."

Jackson looked over to Danny and swallowed hard, "uh yeah, she's been busy with Scott and everything."

"Jackson," Lydia said not looking back from where they headed into the cafeteria, "it's better to just be quiet if you're going to tell a lie. I know that you guys have been warned about me, but it's whatever...So guys, what's up? What have you guys been up to? Danny, I noticed you and Stiles hanging out a lot."

"Oh yeah," Danny said with a small laugh. "No, we're just friends."

"I don't know," Lydia said with a knowing smile as they walked over to a lunch table that was away from the crowd or students. Jackson looked around making sure that there we people around...just in case anything happened. "I've seen you with him and I think someone's a bit smitten," Lydia said with a wink at Danny from where he sat across from her.

Danny shook his head as he straightened his back, "no, trust me Stiles isn't gay..."

Lydia smiled, "that's not what I said..."

"Okay Allison," Stiles said as Jackson, Lydia and Danny turned down the hall. He turned to where Scott and Allison were talking quietly to themselves, and where Morgan stood looking morose. He hesitated when he saw Morgan, "umm, I think it's time you went in Lydia's locker. Okay, can you guys stop with the whispering, it's getting a little...yeah. Okay, let's do this."

Allison looked confused for a bit before she backed around the corner and went to Lydia's locker.

"Umm Morgan," Scott said looking at the girl, "do you think you can keep an eye out for Allison, I kind of want to talk to Stiles about something."

"Sure...whatever," Morgan said in a sullen tone as she went to watch the girl from around the corner.

Scott pulled Stiles a bit away from Morgan and whispered harshly, "what's wrong with you? Why have you been acting weird towards Allison."

"I have not," Stiles said not making eye contact.

"Yeah, you have," Scott said trying to get Stiles to look at him. "Whenever me and Allison are together you're always huffing or rolling your eyes. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Stiles said looking Scott dead in the eye. "Absolutely nothing."

"You guys," Allison said as she turned the corner waving some strands of hair in her hands. They looked over to Allison just as Morgan took the hair out of her hand and placed it into a black felt pouch.

"Okay guys," Morgan said as she put the pouch away into her inside coat pocket, "we're ready."

"I'm just saying Danny," Lydia said with a shrug from where she was going through her math notes.

"Wait, seriously," Jackson said from where he had turned completely to look at Danny. And then said in a whispered voice, "you like Stiles."

"No," Danny said opening his eyes wide and putting his hands up. "Stiles is cool, but I don't like him...in that way."

"So in which way do you like him," Lydia asked with a smile looking up from her notes. "Because let's be serious, from the way you look at him when he's telling you a stupid joke in the hall...it looks like you really like him."

"I don't," Danny said defensively, "he's just a friend."

Lydia sighed with a smile, "you guys would make a really nice couple."

"You know, I'm not gay or anything," Jackson said looking from Lydia to Danny, "but he's not that weird looking...you know, in a strictly I don't want to punch his face when I see him kind of way."

Danny rolled his eyes and went to get up but was stopped when Jackson pulled at his shirt. Lydia didn't see the look that Jackson gave Danny but the boy sat back down anyway.

"So Lydia," Jackson said turning to the girl, "you had said something about wanting to speak to me...?"

Lydia looked up and gave him a passing glance, "oh...no, I'm over it." And went back to solving some mathematical equation.

Danny flashed Jackson a look that urged him to keep going but Lydia just looked up and said, "oh, we're done here. I'm pretty sure they're done."

Panic flashed across the boys' faces. "What..." Danny said looking from Jackson to Lydia, "what do you mean?"

"I don't know," Lydia shrugged, "I'm sure what ever weird three-way convo they wanted to have about me is done...you guys do talk about me right or am I just over thinking things?"

"You know what," Danny said getting up and looking at Jackson, "I think you're right. Jackson, we should go and see what they were talking about."

Lydia narrowed her eyes as the boys got up, but went back to her work. She really did not care about what was going on.

"Did you guys get it," Jackson said as they walked over to where the rest of the gang was waiting for them by Scott's locker.

"Yeah," Scott said shouldering his backpack as they made their way down the hall. "Morgan left early to get her things."

"Things," Danny asked, confused now from where he was next to Jackson. "What things?"

"Uhh...just some stuff she had to get for..." Stiles trailed off remembering that he would've had to lie to Danny.

"Are you guys really not going to tell me what's wrong," Danny said as they walked out of the school doors.

Stiles stopped and looked at Scott who had eyes that pled 'no' and he looked down, "Danny, I promise I'll explain everything to you later."

"Stiles, you can't," Scott said walking up to him.

"I have to," Stiles said with honesty in his eyes. "We're asking him to help us with these things, and then sending him to distract Lydia while wearing an enchanted stone around his neck? Even when we had to deal with Peter he helped us, I think it's time he knew the truth."

Scott took a step back, he was done arguing with Stiles over whether or not to tell Danny anything. He was done with trying to convince Stiles that he was a good friend. He was done with Stiles and his attitude towards Allison. He was done with everything. He had to get over it and just put everything to the side, like Morgan had said, they had to be on the same level and right now him arguing with Stiles wasn't going to help that. Besides, Danny had been a big help before, maybe he would still be. "Fine...do whatever you want, I'm done arguing with you over this. Allison, can you take me home?"

Danny looked from Stiles to Scott in the now very awkward silence. When Allison didn't say anything Scott turned to face his girlfriend with a raised eyebrow.

She started, "yeah! Yeah, umm, yeah I'll take you home." She looked at Stiles who wasn't trying to hide that he was avoiding the eyes that were now on him, and walked with Scott over to her car.

"Uhhh, I'm gonna go," Jackson said as he adjusted his backpack and took his keys out. "Umm, Danny, do you want a ride home or something?"

"No," Danny hesitated from where he was watching Stiles from the corner of his eye. "If it's okay, I'd like a ride from Stiles."

Stiles turned from where he was ignoring everyone and looked at Danny. "Um, sure," Stiles stuttered.

"Well then," Jackson said as he rocked on his heels and flashed a smile towards Danny, "I'll leave you boys alone then."

"Why does everyone say that," Stiles said to himself as he followed Jackson with his eyes.

"So Stiles," Danny said from the passenger seat, "what is it that everyone is so against me knowing."

Stiles exhaled deeply and tightened his grip on the steering wheel, "well..."

"So you see why everyone has been so secretive," Stiles said as he opened the door to his house.

"Yeah, I mean, that's...that's wow," Danny was at a loss for words as he walked into the Stilinski household.

"Stiles," Mr. Stilinski called from somewhere in the house, "is that you?"

"Uh yeah dad...Danny's here too!"

"Danny," his dad said from where he was coming down the stairs. "Hey, you know Stiles talks about you a lot. It's good to know he's making some new friends," he said as he shook the boy's hand.

Danny shrugged a little with a smile, "I'm not really new but, I'm happy we got to be friends too."

"Danny's gonna wait here until his parents get home from work," Stiles said as he walked into the kitchen and took out the carton of milk.

"Yeah," Danny said standing awkwardly as he watched Mr. Stilinski walk over and take the carton of milk away before Stiles could drink out of it. "My dad works late some times and my mom had to go meet a client in the city...I hope it's okay if I stay for a bit."

"Of course it is," Mr. Stilinski said as he took a cup, and placed it and the milk in front of Stiles. "But I gotta warn you, I'm no cook. The best I could do is take-out."

Danny exhaled with a bit of a laugh, "that's fine, I like a little greasy food every now and then. My mom's hung up on making sure we're a vegetarian household anyway."

"Haha! I wish I could get Stiles to eat vegetables like that," Mr. Stilinski said as Stiles almost choked on his milk.

"Yeah," Danny asked with a slight turn of his head,"I never would've guessed Stiles had a problem with vegetables, seeing as how he eats my mother's cooking and enjoys it more than I do."

"Okay then," Stiles said as he wiped his mouth and brushed past his father, "Danny, do you wanna go up to my room and, I don't know, look at stuff on the internet?"

"Uhh, sure," Danny said a little put-off and amused at how Stiles was acting.

"Do you guys want pizza," Mr. Stilinski asked as Danny made his way over to the stairs.

"Sure," Stiles said from where he leaned on the banister awkwardly, "pepperoni okay, Danny?"

"Yeah," the boy said giving Mr. Stilinski a smile as Stiles made his way up the stairs.

"Okay, well...have fun," Mr. Stilinski called up as the boys made their way upstairs. "And no porn!"

Stiles tripped and glared back at his father while Danny just laughed. "Dad," Stiles said giving his father a death glare that was laced with embarrassment.

"Hey," Mr. Stilinski said holding his hands up with the phone, "I didn't have the internet when I was your age..."

Stiles was red in the face and Danny was almost pink with laughter, "I'm gonna go now, dad, and I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that. Okay? Okay." And with that both boys made their way upstairs.

"It's done," Morgan said into the encroaching dark of the forest. "I've got everything I need and you told me you would help."

"Poor little witch," the voice said, "that mother of yours really has put a damper on your mood. How is Amara, by the way?"

"Leave my mother out of this," the girl said through clenched teeth, "she has nothing to do with this. This is my spell and these are my friends."

The voice laughed, "'friends' you say? Poor little witch girl, they aren't your friends, they're just using you because they need you. Once you've helped them they'll get rid of you, just like your 'friends' before."

"That was different," Morgan said intensely trying to follow the voice that kept moving deeper into the woods. "These people understand what it's like to be different. They understand the importance of having a secret."

"I'm sure they do," the voice said as it turned deeper into the woods. "Look at the boy, Scott, he got bitten and his best friend has done everything to make sure he okay. And then he got himself a girlfriend who, not only comes from a long line of werewolf hunters, but also neglects her family law against having anything to do with werewolves for him. Those are friends. Hell, even that dumb jock with something to prove and the unstable girl with too much make-up are friends to him. You on the other hand," the laughed loud enough that there was an echo.

"I'm not going to sit here and let you talk to me like that," Morgan raised her voice. "Show yourself!"

A sigh, and a thickness fell across the air and it weighed down on Morgan's skin. She looked around, this was a place she wasn't familiar with and when had it gotten so dark? She looked up, the canopy of the trees were thicker here and the trees looked a bit older.

"Welcome," said the voice in a clearer more cheerful tone. She looked up to where the voice had come from and saw that the air was thick and hazy there...and it was taking form. Morgan took a step forward but was held back by what felt like fingers.

"That's as far as you go, little witch," said the voice coming in more and more clearly as the haze thickened. "You see I told you I would help you, and I will, but I'm not going to show myself to you just yet. Those hunter's are hot on your trail, and some new ones are coming down from the North, so I'm giving you this." What looked like an arm came out of the haze and waved over a leaf on a branch. Morgan looked as the leaf grew in size and fell off landing in front of her feet. Morgan picked up the leaf and saw that it had writing in latin, "what's this? A demon banishing spell? How is this supposed to help me?"

"That's all I can give you now," came the voice from the haze of darkness. "Be careful little witch, even though you annoy me I do enjoy your...colorful visits. The hunters are going after the girl tonight. Be ready."

"Lydia."

The girl looked up from where she was doing her homework, but didn't see anything. She turned back to her homework but heard the voice once again.

"Lydia."

"Mom," she said looking through her open door and into the hall.

"Lydia," the voice called once again.

"Mom, are you calling me," she asked as she got up and walked over to the stairs.

"Mom?" She padded down the stairs. "Are you..." Lydia paused, and watched her mother sleep on the couch.

"Get out of the house!"

Lydia screamed as glass was smashed and a ball of fire flew through the living room window.

Her mother woke with a start at her daughter's scream and looked at the glass on the floor and the burning pile on the carpet. "Lydia! Lydia!"

"Mom, I'm right here!" Before she could reach her mother a crash came from upstairs and the sound of curtains catching fire.

"Lydia, we have to get out of the house!" Her mother ran to her and yanked her towards the front door and tried to pull it open. "Something's holding it from the other side!"

"Duck," Lydia yelled as the glass paneling on the door was smashed in by another ball of fire that barely missed their heads. "We have to get away from the glass!"

"We have to get out the house," her mother pulled her towards the backdoor but was blocked by a growing wall of fire.

"Mom," Lydia said with fear in her eyes as her mother searched for a way out. Lydia realized that she wasn't the only one scared when she saw her mother was just as scared as she was. "Come on!" Lydia pulled her mom up the stairs. She was almost to the top when she heard her mother scream and looked back to see a dark figure pulling at her mother's leg. She was overcome by a weird force...an anger...a ferocity, and before she knew what was happening she had jump down the stairs and was on top of the dark figure slashing at it with her nails.

"Lydia!" Her mom yelled from the stairs unable to react to what she was seeing. She ran down the now burning stairs and pulled her daughter off, "we have to go." She stumbled back and her daughter's yellow eyes and her blackened nails.

Coming to her senses Lydia blinked and looked at her mother with eyes full of terror and sadness. A support beam crashed to the floor and in a flash Lydia carried her mom up the stairs. She pulled her mom down the hall and into a room that was untouched by the flames. She picked up a chair and smashed it through the window. Holding out a hand to her mother she yelled, "mom, come on. We have to go!"

"Lydia," her mom said with a hand to her mouth and looked at the grimy hand that her daughter now held out to her, "what did you do down there?"

"Adrenaline! Mom seriously," she shook her hand, "we have to go!" A growl escaped from her lips and her mother jumped and grabbed her hand. She helped her mother out the window and onto the ledge, another crash and Lydia looked back to see that the flames were coming through the floor.

Looking down her mother said, "Lydia, I...I can't."

"Get on my back," Lydia said to her mother.

"What?"

"Get on my back," and before her mother could respond she had pulled her onto her back and jumped down onto the grass landing softly.

They ran around to the front of the house and to where firefighters and a small crowd had gathered.

"Are you okay," one of the firefighters said running up to them.

"Yeah," Lydia said coughing a bit, "we're fine."

"Is there anyone in the house?"

Mrs. Martin shook her head, "no...No, it's just me and my daughter."

The firefighter nodded and ran back to the others, "there's no one else! Let's get this fire under control!"

"Lydia!"

The girl looked over to see Morgan running towards her.

"Are you okay," Morgan asked breathing heavily .

"Yeah, we're fine," Lydia said, "I'm just happy that voice warned me."

Morgan paused, "voice? What voice?"

"Nothing," Lydia shook her head just as the paramedics came over to check on them. "It was nothing."

Morgan stood, watching as Mrs. Martin walked away telling the medics about what had happened. Then she noticed a darkness over Lydia, and as the girl looked back a smile was on her lips that scared Morgan to her very core.

After about an hour and a half of them battling the burning house before it was under control. From where they sat in an ambulance sharing a blanket and sipping on unsweetened tea Mrs. Martin turned to her daughter, "Lydia, what happened back there on the stairs?"

Lydia turned to her mother with a comforting smile, "it was adrenaline mom, I saw that thing on you and...with the house on fire. I had to protect you."

"But your fingernails...they looked like claws," Mrs. Martin said grabbing her daughter's hand. "And that thing! What was that?"

Lydia placed her tea to the side and held onto her mother's hand, "mom, calm down. You were just in a fire. I saved you. There was nothing. We got out safely and that's all you care about."

Mrs. Martin blinked and a tired smile came across her face, "oh Lydia, I'm so happy we got out of that house safely. And those firefighters did such a good job of putting out the flames."

Lydia smiled at her mom and patted her hand.

"Scott," Morgan said into her phone, "Lydia was just attacked."

"I heard," Scott's voice said over the speaker, "do you think it was arson?"

"I don't want to say it but that's what I'm getting. But get this," Morgan put a hand over her mouth where she was walking by a crowd of onlookers, "she mentioned something about hearing a voice."

"Okay...?" Scott said unsure of what that meant.

"Scott, the only person who talks to voices is me and Allison's mom," she caught herself.

"Wait...what did you just say," Scott's voice was becoming more alert as he sat up in bed.

Morgan sighed and hushed her voice, sure that there was someone listening, "there's a voice I talk to that I get most of my information from...and it's come up that the hunters, or rather, a hunter has been speaking with it as well. Allison's mom has been keeping tabs on you guys too and I've been told that there are more hunter's coming down from the North."

Morgan heard someone in the background. "Who's that," Morgan heard Allison's voice.

"It's Morgan," Scott said away from the receiver, "she's telling me that we might have more problems than we already have. Morgan, have you spoken with Stiles about this yet?"

"No, I thought I should call you first and maybe...I don't know, see if Allison knows anything about her mom talking to weird voices."

"Wait," Scott said into the phone, "Allison, do you remember when you mentioned something about hearing your mom talk to a weird voice."

"Yeah," Morgan heard the girl say in the background, "but I couldn't figure out what was being said."

"Morgan," Scott said, "can you come to my house?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way now," Morgan said hanging up her phone.

"Hey boys," Mr. Stilinski as he stood in the open doorway of Stiles' room fixing his cuff-link. "I've gotta go, there was a fire over at the Martin house and they think it might be arson."

"Whoa dad," Stiles' got up excitedly, "I'm coming with you! That's Lydia!"

"No, I need you guys to stay here and out of the way," Mr. Stilinski said adjusting his collar. "Besides, you have company," he said looking over at where Danny was still seated by the computer.

"But dad..." Stiles said excitedly but was cut off.

"No, he's right," Danny said, "as long as Lydia and her mother are fine then we don't need to be there. They are alright, right Mr. Stilinski?"

"Yes Danny, they're fine. And Stiles," Mr, Stiliski said turning to his son, "Danny's right, stay here. There's no sense in getting in the way if no one was hurt."

"But dad," Stiles exhaled but felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to Danny.

"Stiles, it'll be fine," Danny said in that even tone he always had, "we can stay here. Besides, someone is going to have to check up on Jackson."

"Yeah, you guys do that," Mr. Stilinkski said as he started to walk down the stairs. "I have to go, but you guys go ahead and check on the Whittemore kid, I know him and the Martin girl used to go together."

"Go together," Danny said looking at Stiles with a really confused look.

"He's old," was all Stiles said as they followed his dad down the stairs.

"I'll probably be back late boys," Mr. Stilinski said walking over to his car. "You guys be careful okay, there might be some more crazies running around." He got in his car and drove off towards the Martin house.

"Oh no you don't," Danny said once Stiles turned and he saw the look on his face. "We're not leaving, we told your dad we'd stay and we are."

"But..."

"No, we're staying," Danny said sternly, "the most we're gonna do is call Jackson. We are not leaving this house." Danny closed the door as he pulled out his cell phone.

"Danny," Jackson said answering his phone, "what's wrong?"

"It's Lydia."

Jackson stood from where he was doing sit-ups, "what?"

"There was a fire, she and her mom got out okay but, I thought you should know," Danny looked at Stiles from where he was pacing the floor.

"Where are you? Where are they? Why are you so calm? What's going to happen now?"

"Jackson," Danny said evenly, "calm down. I'm at Stiles' house, his dad just left for Lydia's place and we really don't know what's going to happen."

"I'm coming over," Jackson said pulling on a shirt and hanging up.  
Danny closed his phone and sighed, "he's coming over."

"What? Why," Stiles said animatedly.

"Stiles, he really shouldn't be alone," Danny said gesturing slightly with the phone.

"Fine, whatever," Stiles exhaled, "But I'm gonna call Scott and see if her knows anything."

"So you mean to tell me that my mom has been watching every move we've ever made," Allison asked in disbelief walking back and forth in front of Scott's bed.

"Yes," Morgan said from where she was leaning on the wall.

"And you knew she was," Allison said stopping from where she was turned towards Morgan.

"Well," Morgan hesitated, "yes...yes I did."

Scott sat silently on the bed watching as the girls had their little exchange, Allison growing a bit more agitated with each step.

"And you don't think you should have told us...me? If my mom's sending some weird, dark, voice thing to watch me I think I'd like to know."

"Allison it's not that simple," Morgan said with an exhale as she stood up. "This 'thing' that your mother is talking to doesn't have a loyalty, it exists and does what it pleases."

"But what is it," Scott spoke up from the bed, looking at Morgan.

"It's a force..." Morgan searched for the words to explain it, "it's a sentient being unto itself. It can do what it wants. It can be what it wants. And it can be anywhere it wants."

"Is it dangerous," Scott asked standing up, "is it something we have to worry about?"

Morgan shook her head, "no...I don't think so."

Scott's phone rang.

"It's Stiles," Morgan said as she walked out the room.

"Where are you going," Scott asked as he answered his phone.

"Home," Morgan said over her shoulder as she went down the stairs, "I'm not supposed to be here anyway."

Scott looked at Allison as he put the phone to his ear who just shrugged.

"Scott," Stiles voice came out of the speaker, "...was that Morgan?"

"Yeah, she just left," Scott said as he got up and walked over to look over the banister.

"Oh...is she okay, because I haven't..." Stiles stopped and he heard Danny's voice in the background.

"Jackson's here. Don't forget to ask about..."

"Oh yeah," Stiles said back into the receiver, "do you think anything big is going to happen since Lydia was attacked tonight?"

Scott shook his head, "I don't know, but we should just be prepared for what ever might happen."

Stiles looked over at Danny and Jackson before he spoke into the phone, "okay..."

Stiles hung up the phone and turned to where Danny and Jackson had been listening to his conversation. "He said..."

"'...be prepared for whatever might happen,'" Jackson said cutting him off with a pale look to his face. "Yeah, we know."

Morgan closed the door as she entered her darker than usual home; it was late but no one really slept in this house. Tonight was different though, there was a stillness about the dark that was unsettling.

She looked around in the dark of her house that seemed to come alive and breath in it's own essence. She never called to let anyone know she was home, if she was lucky they wouldn't bother her for a few days. Quietly she made her way upstairs, used to sneaking home in the dark.

As she hit the landing there was a creak, she looked to her left but when she turned back to walk to her room she was face-to-face with the cold green stare of her mother's eyes.

She backed up as a sinister grin crawled across her mother's face.

"Hello Morgana," her mother said as she loomed over her daughter, "where have you been..." she sniffed and turned her face up in offense, "you were with that dog again."

"He's not a dog, mother," Morgan said quietly.

Her mother laughed, "the poor little witch girl is growing a heart for the mutt, how precious," she brought a hand to her chest feigning being moved. "I told you to stay away from him."

"I can't do that, mother," she spat the word, "I promised I would help them and a witch is bound by her word."

Her mother leaned away from her, "you were always a studious little brat. Fine, I'll leave you to it...but tell me, how is that little half-breed of a girl?"

Morgan stepped back as her mother's eyes flashed darkly in the little light that the moon provided. "What do you know about that?"

"Oh nothing," her mother said walking away with a wave of her hand causing a single candle in the hall to spark a flame.

"And I'm supposed to believe that everything you said is true, " Victoria Argent spoke into the darkness behind her house.

"Do you really have any choice," the voice said in a mocking tone. "Without me you have no information on what's going on; your little hunters, try as they might, are just sad fools."

"Fine," Mrs. Argent said throwing a hand up, "as if I didn't already have other things to worry about."

"Victoria?"

Mrs. Argent turned and saw her husband standing on the back porch watching her.

"Who are you talking to," Chris asked as he walked down the stairs and over to his wife surveying the dark.

"No one, dear," Victoria said turning to her husband.

"I know I heard you talking to someone," he said giving his wife a serious look, "and I know I heard someone talking back to you."

She faltered, but only for a minute, "fine," she exhaled and crossed her arms over her chest. "I was talking to someone who has a lot more information than we do. Did you know that Allison is friends with the hybrid? Or that they've enlisted to help of a witch? Or that the half-breed girl was attacked tonight? My informant had told the little witch that it would be one of us, so now we have her to deal with on top of pressure coming down from the North."

"Victoria, calm down," Mr. Argent said placing a hand on his wife's arm.

She looked down at where he was rubbing her forearm with his thumb and threw his hand off. "Don't tell me to calm down! You have no idea what I've been going through! You think that just because you eased up a bit and no one has gotten back to you with any bad news is because everything has been fine? Well it's not! I've been dealing with all of this while you're out on your wild goose hunts with your pack of marauding morons! So you don't have any right to tell me to calm down," she pointed a finger in his face, "not now!"

"Madam Argent," they both turned to where one of the hunters stood scared in his Beacon Hills Sheriff's Department uniform. "It was a witch that provoked the girl, the police could not find any trace of lighter fluid or any signs of electrical malfunction."

"And how do you know it was a witch," Mr. Argent said boring into the poor man.

"There was this," he held out a small ring with a pentagram on it.

"That means nothing," Mr. Argent said looking over at his wife.

"Would you believe me if I told you that as we pulled up in the car a darkness lifted off the house and flew across town?"

Mr. Argent looked at his wife who simply said, "told you," and walked into the house dismissing the hunter with a wave of her hand.

Mr. Argent watched his wife walk back into the house and shook his head, "and I thought this was going to be boring."

To be continued...

A/N: I want to apologize again, I didn't know this chapter was going to end up this long. I had wrote half on my computer and I went to visit my sister and wrote the rest on my phone so it kind of a surprise to me. About Morgan's home life; I didn't expect it to come out that way, and I know her story seems pretty shallow but that's because there's more that she and I just aren't ready to talk about...yet. The only way I can think about describing Morgan's mother is as a witch with a capital B. Also, I want to say that Lydia's house fire was...it just came to me that it should happen. I don't know what else to tell you guys...Danny's dad is not a homophobe, that I can promise. Once again, thanks for reading.


	8. Chapter 8

Lydia held onto her cup of now cold tea and laughed bitterly to herself. When had everything gone to shit for her? When did everything just fall to pieces? The wolf thing at the video rental place. Jackson breaking up with her. Then being locked in the school with a crazed psychokiller. Then everything that happened at the Formal and having to be hospitalized. Her friends turning away from. Her house being burned down. And then that Morgan girl saying those cruel, hurtful things about her. Why was this happening to her? This wasn't who she was, she wasn't a violent person; she didn't mean to attack Tiffany in the hall like that. She had saw herself doing it but she just couldn't stop herself. There was a lot of things about her that she couldn't control. Why her? Why was this happening to her? She didn't deserve this...any of this. She was a good girl; she made sure her grades were perfect, she made sure her appearance was impeccable, she fostered good friendships, so then why was this happening to her? She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of someone calling her name. She looked over to where her mom sat stone silent and eyes focused on nothing in the distance. She turned again when she heard her name called and leaned to look out of the ambulance, there was a crowd of onlookers still and any one of them could be calling her name. She scanned the crowd looking for anyone who might look like they were trying to get her attention, but all she saw were people gaping and gabbing about the fire they had just saw. She was reminded of the voice back in her room, the voice that had probably saved their lives. She placed her mug down and stood up letting the blanket fall off of her and she walked towards the crowd. She was following the voice as she wandered through the crowd. She passed by a boy from her school who looked like he wanted to comfort her but she heard the voice coming from the right and followed it. She followed until the voice changed direction and led her to the left and out of the crowd. The voice was leading her down one of the paths in the forest that some of the kids used as a shortcut but then it started to go off of the path and into the woods. Common sense was telling her to go back to her mom but curiosity fueled her legs to move forward. Bare feet on twigs and fallen leaves, grass pressed between black polished toenails. She moved bushes and lifted low hanging branches as she followed the voice that got richer the further she moved into the woods. It was leading her to a place where the trees grew thicker and where the noise of the cars and people were just a distant memory.

"Lydia."

She paused.

"Lydia."

She turned trying to find where the voice was coming from.

"Lydia."

"What," she said a little fed up now.

"Come...closer."

She wasn't sure but she could swear she heard a smile on the nonexistent lips the voice came from. She moved in closer against her better judgement, something was wiling her forward.

"I need...you to help me."

Lydia shook her head nervously and took in a shaken breath, "I'm sorry but I don't help weird disembodied voices.

"I have a body...or rather, I will. Very soon too."

She hesitated as fear crept up her spine, "what...what does that mean?"

"You know exactly what it means."

Before she could react fast enough to run away Lydia felt a force slam into her and knocking the wind out of her. She fell and scrambled back as the force pressed into her. The world around her took on a dark facade as the limbs of trees that were once harmless branches now looked like the fingers of a skeleton reaching out to her, the bushes now took on the form of hunched beasts as if ready to attack, and the ground beneath her became alien like and writhed beneath her as though she were laying on a bed of maggots. She went to scream but nothing came out of her mouth as the force rushed to fill her lungs. Gasping for breath, tears filled her eyes as the force filled in every cavity of her being. She could feel it in her fingertips, in her toes, she could feel it in her face and in...her heart.

Suddenly there was a stillness and the darkness settled in and fell asleep. She lay on the floor feeling scared, and violated, and dirty, and...angry.

Lydia watched the group of conspirators gathered around Scott's locker and sucked her teeth. She hated them, and blamed them for everything that had happened to her. Everything started to fall apart once she started to hang out with Scott. She watched the group of new friends judging them mercilessly; Jackson and his asshattery, Scott and his oblivity to anything that isn't Allison, Stiles the spineless fool who did whatever Scott asked, Allison the arrogant huntress who let a boy become her whole world, Danny the follower, and Morgan the annoying bitchy little witch girl who was too quick with her words. As she watched them she vibrated with a fury she had never felt and slammed her locker closed so hard that it caused everyone in the hall to look at her.

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL STARING AT?"

She yelled before stomping off into the girls' bathroom. She pushed the door open causing all of the girls to look up with horror in their eyes. Lydia stared at the group of unlucky girls with a glare so strong that everyone one of them stumbled back and then rushed past her for the exit. When the last girl had left and the room was too full with rage for anyone other than Lydia, she walked over to the mirror and placed both hands on the sink. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw a flash of something she didn't recognize and willed herself to calm down. She inhaled and exhaled evenly, trying to control herself...it was hard. Her reflection in the mirror morphed and changed into an evil sneer before she was looking back at herself. Leaning off the mirror she straightened her clothes and fixed her hair, applying a new layer of lip gloss she smiled at herself and walked out of the bathroom smiling contentedly and humming.

They all watched as Lydia walked out of the girls' bathroom smiling and humming to herself, Jackson was the first to say something.

"Well that's never happened before."

"You have no idea what's going to happen," Morgan said from where she was looking grim among the rest.

Scott turned to her, "Morgan, you had a vision didn't you?"

"I'd hardly call it a 'vision' but I did see something, something worse than what I had seen before. I still believe that if we take care of this before it gets worse we won't have to worry about what I saw."

"Well," Stiles said expectantly, "what did you see?"

"Aside from the countless bodies and bloodshed...my death," and with that Morgan left the group and walked out of the school. She couldn't deal with this, not today at least, but she would have to. If she was going to do this she would have to get rid of everything. She pulled out her phone and sent Stiles a text.

Did you read that book? -M

It wasn't long before her phone beeped and she check the message from Stiles.

You mean the text book? Yeah. -S

She exhaled.

Good. Can you come get me? -M

Where are you? -S

I'm under the bleachers, there's something I have to tell you. -M

She closed her phone and her eyes and breathed deeply, it was time she was completely honest with Stiles. He had promised he was going to help her and she couldn't have him go into this without knowing what's up. She pressed her palms to her eyes as she gathered the nerve to talk about what she had to talk about. Just when she had calmed herself enough she looked up and saw Stiles looking at her with a smile from between the seats. She smiled and got up to walk around and meet him.

"You okay," Stiles asked as Morgan ambled around the end of the bleachers and up to him.

"I'm fine," she lied. "I just wanted to know if you could give me a ride home, I have some things I need to tell you."

Stiles raised an eyebrow, "sure, come on, my Jeep is this way." He went to put his arm around her but she shook a finger at him saying 'no.' He raised both hands as if to say sorry and shoved his hands in his pocket. The walk to Stiles' car and the resulting drive over to Morgan's house was silent.

Exasperated Stiles took his eyes off the road and looked at Morgan, "are you sure you're okay, you've been quiet before but never like this...not with me at least."

"I'm fine. Let's just get to my house please," was all Morgan said for the rest of the car ride.

Stiles' Jeep pulled into the cracked driveway of Morgan's home and she got out the car before it had came to a full stop. She walked up the broken walkway and looked back only once to make sure that Stiles was following her. Putting her key in the door she walked in and left the door open for Stiles and went to wait for him at the top of the stairs. When he had walked in and closed the door she waited for him to get upstairs and walked him to her room, and waited for his amazement to go away from where she leaned on the closed door. Walking over she sat on her bed and patted the spot next to her for Stiles to sit next to her.

"Morgan..." Stiles started but was cut off.

"Please don't say anything," she exhaled, "I just want to get this out of the way so I can forget about it."

Stiles nodded and urged her to continue.

"Okay, so I'm assuming that Scott told you what I told him about why I'm here, correct?" Morgan waited for Stiles to nod. She exhaled, "you promised to help me before I even told you what it is I had to do and right now I'm giving you the option to back out. Stiles, do you still want to help me?"

Stiles paused for a beat before saying, "yes, I still want to help you."

"Okay," Morgan said breathing out. "Well I guess I should start with what made me come here. It all started when I was supposed to have my second degree intiation into the Craft, that my high priestess confronted me about a terrible vision she had had while on one of her night walks; she told me of terrible beasts that lay waste to a town in California, and that I had to be there. She told me of ravenous wolves that ran wild in a town called Beacon Hills and that the population was all but unprepared. There was a lot of deliberation with the elders however, and both my parents were on the council, about whether or not I could handle this task. My mother was the loudest among the voices, adament that I was not ready for this and that I should not have been allowed into the Craft in the first place but, seeing as how I was born into this I was granted initiation by birth. I had went through the first degree intiation with no problems, a lot of my "family" were already initiates, and because of my lineage, it was easy for me to get in even with my mother's objections. I was told to consider this a test...as a "skipping ahead" to being a third degree intiate and inevitably being able to form my own coven. I didn't have much say in the matter once the Priestess had made up her mind, and it was decided amongst the elders that my family and I were to relocate here until everything had been settled. Now I'm assuming you want to know what you have to do with all of this," she looked at Stiles who shook his head with unwavering eyes.

"Well," Morgan grabbed Stiles' hand and turned to face him completely, "the night before my famliy left, the Priestess visited me in secret to tell me about a boy, one who would play a big part in freeing Beacon Hills of it's darkness for good. She told me about a boy who would have a big heart, a quick mind, and a fast tongue. A boy without a mother and a distant father, a boy with close friends who are too busy for him. A boy who would need a friend that understands he's as unique as his name, a boy named Genim; and he would be a bigger help to me than anyone else and that I had to protect him with my life."

Stiles looked at Morgan and shook his head in desbelief and confusion, "Putting my excitement aside, why would I be able to help you? I mean, I'm just Stiles...I Google werewolves and get thrown against walls. I don't help save a whole town from some massacre."

"Well, 'just Stiles' who helped Scott come to terms with being a werewolf? Who helped figure out the death of Laura Hale and chained Scott to the radiator during his first full moon? Who was there when Scott and Derek faced the Alpha?" She followed him with her eyes where he was trying to look away. "Stiles, you are an amazing person. You have a heart as big as your smile and given the chance I'm sure you would see just how true that is. Stiles, look at me. Look at me."

Stiles looked up into her deep green-gray eyes and shook his head, "I..."

"No," Morgan said a bit forcefully shaking his hands. "No, I believe in you and I know you believe in you too. Don't listen to the voice in your head telling you you can't do this, do you think I would've been here if there were people who didn't believe in you?"

Stiles put his elbows on his knees and pressed his fingers to his temples and closed his eyes tight, "I still don't understand what I have to do with all of this. How am I supposed to help you, I don't know anything about magic."

"Did you read that book I gave you?"

"Yeah," Stiles said sitting up straight, "but how was that supposed to help me? It was just a bunch of words in Latin and pictures of pentagrams and herbs."

"Did you read the section I highlighted?"

"You mean the one about demonology, or the one about witchcraft?"

"Both," Morgan said crossing her arms.

"Oh, yeah," Stiles said leaning back, "I totally read those."

"Well I hope you did," Morgan said standing up, "because I've decided that tonight's the night to handle this Lydia problem and you are going to help me." She offered her hand to Stiles to help him up.

"What are we going to do, exactly, about Lydia," Stiles asked straightening his clothes as Morgan walked over and took a book down from her shelf and placed it down on her desk.

"We're going to try a binding now," she looked over her shoulder at Stiles and beckoned him over. "It should be easy; it's one of the most basic spells in the book and even non-witches can execute it without any formal training."

"If it's so easy," Stiles said where he stood a bit away from Morgan and the book, "how do we know it'll work on Lydia?"

"Because," Morgan said pulling herself up to her full height and taking some things from a satchel that lay on her desk. "It's never been done by a legacy witch on a hybrid, so we'll have to see what happens." Morgan shrugged and started placing a few things on her desk in the large pentagram that was engraved on her desk. Stiles watched as she pulled out a picture of Lydia that he had never seen, a black ink marker, and a ribbon.

"What are we supposed to do with that," Stiles asked looking dubiously at the assortment of items that the girl had laid out in front of her.

"Well," Morgan said gesturing to each item, "a picture of Lydia so we don't mistakenly bind someone else, a black ink pen or marker so we can write the persons name in a pentagram, and a ribbon that will symbolize the biding. Easy right," Morgan said the last part turning to a very confused looking Stiles.

"Uh...yeah," Stles said scratching his head.

"Now it's time for the best part..." she looked at Stiles with a smile on her face, "the words."

"Words...?" Stiles said inching a bit closer to where Morgan stood over the desk.

"Yes, now give me your hands and focus," Morgan reached for Stiles hands and breathed deeply looking at him to copy her.

Stiles followed her lead and closed his eyes as well and breathed evenly.

"Good," Morgan said with her eyes closed and still holding on to Stiles' hands, "now try and clear your mind of everything else but Lydia."

Stiles scoffed, "that won't be hard."

"Concentrate Stiles, we can't risk anyone else getting hurt."

Ducking his head Stiles said, "fine, fine...Focus on Lydia. Focus on Lydia Martin."

"That's not neccessary, just repeat her name in your mind and hold on to an image of her. Just focus on her..."

Stiles quieted himself and his mind and made himself focus on the memory he had of when he had first seen Lydia. Her hair was in a pony tail that bounced as she walked alongside her parents on her way to school for the first day of third grade; Stiles was sure she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen in his life. She had on a blue summer dress that made her eyes shine and she had a bright smile that was warmer than the sun.

Morgan opened her eyes and saw that Stiles was smiling to himself and that was all she needed, "good, now hold on to that image and repeat after me." Morgan wrote Lydia's name on the picture in five lines forming a pentagram as she said these words:

To be protected from you,

This magic charm will do

With these words I bind thee

For you to let us be

To be protected from your harm

I now seal this charm

She looked at Stiles who was now repeating the words in a steady monotone as she folded the picture twice and started to tie the ribbon around the photo.

Lydia was in her mathematics class when she started to get a headache; at first she thought it was nothing, she hadn't been getting much sleep since the fire that burned down her house and she had to stay at a hotel while they figured out what happened. Her nerves haven't been good and her mood swings have gotten to the point that her mom slept all day to avoid her; she chocked it all up to lack of sleep but she had never had headaches this bad. She pressed her fingers to her temples and her vision bagan to blur; she started to hear voices...two voices, speaking in unison. They were mumbling something and it hurt to hear, there was a tightening in her chest and she started to gasp for air. By now some of the students had noticed and the teacher had stopped talking, Scott was the first one over to her as she knelt down on one knee. She heard Scott say something but couldn't hear over the rising voices...there was another this time, a more forceful voice. It told her to get up and get out of the room, it told her to get to a place where she could be alone but she couldn't move, she couldn't breathe. Something, a force within her, willed her up and her legs to move her out of the class and into the hall; it willed her into the girls' bathroom and made her stand in front of the mirror. She looked at herself and was repulsed at what she saw.

"Listen to me," the voice said darkly from the mirror.

Lydia looked up at what she recognized was the voice from the night of the fire.

"You need to do everytthing I say right now, that little witch girl and the incompetent boy are binding you. They want to chain you up within yourself and force you back into the little girl who put herself down and hid how truly great she was. You can't let them do that to you..to us. We have to stop them, we can't let them do this to us!"

"How is there an us," Lydia said with difficulty.

"I really don't hope you think that everything that happened in the woods that night after the fire was for naught. Who do you think saved you and your mother from that fire? The moment I intervined to help you I was bound to you, why do you think they're attempting this binding? The witch knows what I am and she wants to get rid of me."

"What...are you," Lydia asked with ragged breaths, she credited whatever this was to her standing up because she was sure she would've been on the floor right now.

"We don't have time for that," the voice yelled, "just tell them to stop. Repeat it in your head and let the words trip over each other. Be forceful and will your thoughts out, I'll handle the rest."

Lydia closed her eyes and started to repeat the words 'stop it' to herself, it was hard but she kept going on and forced herself to not pay attention to the spltting headache she had or the pain in her chest.

Morgan paused from where she was repeating the words and stopped Stiles mid-sentence, "do you hear that?"

"Hear what," Stiles said opening his eyes but he didn't get an answer as they were bombarded by Lydia's voice in their heads.

""

Stiles covered his ears and yelled over the girls' voice, "is that Lydia, how is she doing this?"

Morgan ran over and pulled out a black pot from under her bed, placing it on her desk she threw all of the intems into the pot and struck a match. As she watched the match burn she looked over at Stiles yelling over the voice, "because she's not just a hybrid anymore!" She let the match drop and watched as the picture burn and the ribbon draw up on itself in the heat.

The voice stopped almost immediately and Stiles pulled his hands down from his ears, "then what is she?"

"Let's just say that I now know why I was given that demon banishing spell."

Stiles eyes grew wide and his mouth agape as Morgan poured water over the now smuldering ashes, "what?"

Lydia immediately felt a relief, "what did you do?"

"Nothing you didn't want to happen," Lydia was sure she heard a hint of a smile on the voice. "I took care of the matter now, but they know that you're not alone anymore and next time I won't be able to handle in on my own."

"Anything," Lydia said enjoy how easy it was to breathe and smiling a little to herself. "I'll do anything you want, just don't let anything harm me."

"I promise," the voice said, "I will do everything within my power to make sure that no witch, werewolf or human causes you harm without being dealt with swiftly."

"You guys," Scott said from where he and the others had gathered at a cafeteria table, "there was something really wrong with Lydia in class today."

"Yeah," Allison spoke up, "I had heard that she was wheezing or something and fell to the floor."

"Yeah, it looked like she was suffocating or something, she grabbed her chest too I thought she might be having a heart attack."

"Impossible Scott," Jackson spoke up now, "do you see what Lydia has become? If anyone was immune to heart attacks I'm sure it'll be her."

"Have you guys seen Stiles," Danny asked as he walked up to the rest of the group. "He's been missing ever since Morgan left this morning."

"He told me that he was going to be with Morgan today," Scott said shaking his head, "something about her needing to talk to him about something."

"Do you think Morgan could have something to do with what happened to Lyida today," Jackson asked leaning in towards the group.

"Probably," Scott said, "she did say that she had everything she needed to do that spell she was talking about."

"Do you think it worked," Danny said looking from face to face but received his answer when Lydia walked up to the group.

"Tell your little witch girl that she'll have to try harder next time if she wants to get rid of us," the words seeped from Lydia's lips like venom from a snake about to strike. "We don't like being targeted like that, and trust, next time we won't just stop her...we'll kill her." They all watched in stunned silence as Lydia clicked out of the cafeteria and parting the kids as if they were the red sea.

"We have to talk to Morgan," Scott said standing up. "Now."

"Scott," Morgan took her phone out of her pocket just as it buzzed.

"Morgan," Scott's voice came out of the speaker, "where are you?"

She rolled her eyes, "I'm home, Scott, and yes me and Stiles will meet you at your house." She hung up her phone and looked at Stiles, "something happened at school with Lydia and they want answers. We're going to meet them at Scott's house."

"Fine," Stiles said walking over to the door but stopped and stumbled back when he was greeted by a tall woman with the same green-gray eyes as Morgan. "Ummm...M-Morgan."

Morgan looked up seeing her mother towering over Stiles and ran in front of him. "Mother, what are you doing in my room?"

Morgan watched her eyes flick over to Stiles and then lock back on hers a knowing smile creeping across her tight face, "well, Morgana, last time I checked I was the one paying for this house."

"Don't even use that lie, you know you're not paying for anything..." Morgan took a step closer to her mother, "does the council know that you used your power to brainwash that old man who owned this house before we got here?"

Her mom stepped back at that, "fine...I'll go, but you my little darling are going to have a hell of a hard time with dealng with Lydia."

Stiles froze as Morgan paused only for a beat but let a smile form on her lips, "I'll deal with Lydia my own way, let's not forget who was sent here by the high priestess, and who was overpowered by the elders."

"Like I said," the mother raised an eyebrow at her daughter, "you're going to have a hell of a hard time dealing with Lydia." Stiles blinked and the tall woman was gone.

Morgan turned to Stiles uncrossing her arms and finally let her mask fall, "we have to go." In a flash Morgan grabbed Stiles' hand and pulled him down the stairs and out of the house.

When they had reached his car Stiles' pulled his hand back, "you do know that this arm is attached to me, right?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Morgan apologized, "I just wanted you out of that house and away from my mother...she's dangerous."

"I wouldn't have guessed," Stiles said sarcastically as he unlocked his car.

"Yeah well," Morgan said opening the passenger door, "I just think it would be best if you stayed away from her. She's as cold ans the night is long and betting on how easily she'll use her power for personal gain, she won't hesitate to harm you."

"Does that have anything to do with how she kept looking between the both of us," Stiles asked as her put on his seat belt.

"Yeah," Morgan said distractedly, "and I have to be careful."

"What does that mean," Stiles asked as he backed out of the cracked driveway and turned his car to make his way to Scott's house.

"For you, nothing. For me..." Morgan sighed and pressed her forehead against the cool glass, "everything."

The ride to Scott's house was anything but peaceful for Morgan, Siles kept peppering her with questions.

"So wait," Stiles said taking his eyes off the road, "what do I have to do with all of this, I'm still a little confused."

Morgan sighed, "what I gathered from what my high priestess said is that because of your good nature you should be able to counterbalance what ever it is that's wrong with Lydia."

"Do you think that'll work," Stiles asked once again with his eyes still on Morgan.

"It should," Morgan said watching the road because Stiles wasn't. "The moment I met you I knew exactly what the priestess had meant, and because of that I knew I had to do everything within my power to make sure that nothing bad happened to you."

"So what is it that's wrong with Lydia then," Stiles asked finally turning back to watch the road.

"Well," Morgan sighed, "I was given a demon banishing spell by the voice I was telling you about."

"So you're saying that Lydia is possessed," Stiles asked checking his rear-view mirror.

"I'm not saying yes," Morgan said avoidably, "but I'm not saying no either."

"What's going on with Lydia," Jackson asked as Stiles and Morgan made their way up the stairs in Scott's house.

"Well hello, Jackson," Morgan said with a sly smile and running a finger along his jaw line as she walked into Scott's room. Stiles just shrugged when Jackson looked at him.

"Morgan," Allison said as the girl placed herself in Scott's computer chair, "what's wrong with Lydia?"

They all looked at Morgan for an answer but it was Stiles who spoke up, "she thinks that Lydia might be possessed."

"I never said that Stiles," the girl said from where she was sitting in Scott's chair with her legs crossed.

"But you didn't not say it," Stiles said as he walked around the room. "We tried to do a binding today."

"Is that why Lydia had that freak out in class today," Scott asked looking from Morgan to Stiles.

"She had a freak out today," Stiles asked looking from face to face.

"Yeah, she did," Morgan said from where she was looking glum in the chair. "That's why we got that psychic attack today. She was hurting and what ever it was we thought we could bind wasn't happy about that."

"Psychic attack," Danny asked confused from where he was leaning against the bathroom door frame.

"Yeah," Morgan said looking at the boy. "Stiles and I thought we could maybe nip this in the bud but, as we were going through with the binding we heard Lydia's voice as piercing as nails on a chalkboard."

"She was telling us to 'stop it,' but it was really intense. I was doubled over and everything," Stiles added biting his nails.

"Do you really think she's possessed," Allison asked in the silence.

Morgan looked up at Allison and then from face to face around the room before she spoke, "I don't want to believe it, but...the night of the fire when I had ran up to Lydia she had this weird look on her face. It was almost a sneer but that wasn't what had me concerned, I was really worried about the darkness that had settled over her. It was unlike anything I had ever seen and it honestly scared me...I had never seen so much darkness and malice on one person's face." They all looked at Morgan who had become more gloomy as the conversation continued.

"Listen guys," Morgan breathing deeply, "back when I said that something was coming, I didn't expect anything like this. I knew it was going to be bad but not demonic possession bad."

"But you have that spell right," Stiles said kneeling down in from of Morgan, trying to get rid of the hopeless look on her face.

"What spell," Scott asked looking up at Stiles from where he was sitting on the bed.

"She said that she got a 'Demon Banishing Spell' from that voice she always talks to," Stiles said turning to look at Scott.

"Will it work," Jackson asked leaning off the door frame opposite of Danny.

"I don't know," Morgan said in a defeated tone, "I never had to do anything like this. It was always simple things like a glamour, or fire magic, stuff that didn't require having to interact with an autonomous being."

"So you're saying that we have absolutely no hope," Danny said looking at the girl with intense eyes.

"No, there's always hope," Stiles said standing up. "I don't know much about magic, and I'm not a werewolf or a hunter or anything like that but, I do know that if there's one thing we all can have is hope. Earlier Morgan was telling me about why she was sent here and a lot of it has to do with me, and I refuse to give up. This is Lydia you guys, we grew up with her and we've even fell in love with her and right now she needs us. I'm sure she doesn't know what's going on with her and even though she's not showing it I'm sure she's scared. Now is not the time to get scared or worry about not being good enough. We've all faced a seriously deranged alpha and we survived, so now we have to deal with Lydia and this...demon. If there's anything we should have right now, it's hope; hope for Lydia, hope for the school...this town, hope for our families, hope for each other and hope for ourselves. We can't give up just because the game's been changed, and we can't give up because this is something new. We have to work together and compensate for each other's weaknesses. Morgan once called us a family..."

"A group," Morgan cut in.

"...a family, and family takes care of each other," Stiles said the last part looking from one slightly scared face to the next before turning to Morgan. "I told you I was going to help you, and I will. There's more than just us on the line; there are people with families and dreams, there are kids who have yet to figure out who they are, there are people with something to prove and people with someone worth fighting for. I refuse to give up and I refuse to let you give up; we're going to do this and we're going to fight and win because we have no other option. Agreed?"

There was wide eyes and agape mouths as Stiles finished his speech, none of them knew where this had come from but it was as if it was the switch they all needed.

"Agreed," Danny said leaning off of the door frame.

"Agreed," Jackson said squaring his shoulders.

"Agreed," Allison said standing from where she had sat next to Scott.

"Agreed," Scott said standing up next to Allison, taking her hand.

They all looked at Morgan who was the only one still seated in the computer chair.

Stiles held out a hand to her, "for the people who can't fight for themselves."

She looked at the group of misfits who stood around her, and then at Stiles and the hand he held out to her. Sighing she took his hand and stood up, "for the people with someone worth fighting for."

There was a sigh of relief that they were all agreed that now was not the time to give up.

In the midst of the relief and silent smiles Jackson held up his hand, "sorry to bring down this Kodak moment but, how are we supposed to get rid of a demon."

"Don't worry," Morgan said with a small smile, "we're going to be fine, I just need you guys to be backup for me and Stiles."

"When are we gonna do this," Scott asked looking at Morgan.

"Well, from what you guys told me, the thing that's inside of Lydia is upset with our earlier attempt. I think it would be our best bet to figure out who and what is inside of Lydia, then I should be able to figure something out," Morgan said sitting back down. "We can't go into this without knowing who we're dealing with."

"How are we supposed to get a name from a demon," Danny asked with a worried look on his face.

"And I think I read something one time that if you ask a demon it's name that you are linking yourself with it until death or exorcism," Stiles said watching Morgan intently.

"No," Morgan said clearly, "that only works once you've started the exorcism. Once you've started an exorcism and have got the entity to tell you it's name you are both locked until the entity is exorcised or you die. We're not doing an exorcism in the way that the Catholic church sees it, we're banishing it in a way that's been around longer than the church."

"And what way is that," Jackson asked swallowing hard scared of the answer. He had never been to keen on Morgan and she had always scared him, so he was really not looking forward to what she might say.

"Don't worry Jackson," she said standing up and straightening her clothes. "We'll have help from someone way more powerful than me, and all you really have to do is just...be you." She walked out of the room and left them all really confused.

"What did she mean by 'just be me,'" Jackson asked looking at the others.

"I'm more concerend about her saying that she's getting help from someone more powerful than her," Danny said walking over to take the seat that Morgan just left.

"She mentioned something about being given a spell...I'm thinking that whoever she's been talking to is the one who gave it to her," Stiles said perssing his fingers together.

"Do you know who she's been talking to," Scott asked looking over at Stiles from where Allison was hugging him.

"She told us about that voice, so I'm guessing that's who she got the spell from," Stiles said crossing his arms.

"And we don't know anything about this voice...do we," Danny asked from the computer chair turning his attention from Scott and Allison and looking at Stiles.

"Well," Allison spoke up, "my mom's been talking to this same voicem that's what Morgan said anyway."

"Do you think you could talk to your mom about this voice," Danny asked leaning up in the chair.

"I don't think so," Allison said leaning away from Scott, "my mom is a very...she's just not one to talk about anything like that."

"What about your dad," Danny asked not wanting to pry after noticing a change in Allison.

"I can probably talk to him," Allison said hugging her waist, "I doubt if he'd know anything though."

"You should probably talk to him," Jackson said not wanting to offend her.

"Scott, maybe you should go with her," Stiles said turning to his friend, "Allison could probably use someone there and aren't you and her dad cool now?"

"Yeah, ummm, I'll go if you want me to," Scott said looking at Allison.

"Yeah," Allison said reaching for Scott's hands and showing some semblance of a smile, "I'd like that."

"Well," Danny said getting up, "I should probably get home, my mom tends to worry. Stiles can you give me a ride home, my mom still has the car."

"Sure, no problem" Stiles said taking his keys out and looking over to Jackson. "Are you gonna go tell Derek about what's been going on?"

"Sure," Jackson said rolling his eyes, "I mean, after all, it's not like I have anything else to do."

"You don't have to if you don't want to, Jackson," Scott said looking away from Allison.

"No, it's fine," Jackson said walking past Danny and Stiles before stopping at the door, "I live for being the messenger of good news." He walked down the stairs loudly and out the door.

"I'm betting he has a really nice personality," Stiles said before saying bye to Scott and Allison and walked out the door with Danny following him.

Mr. Argent looked up from his book as Allison walked in with Scott in tow, he noticed Allison's jaw was set tight and put his book down as the two walked over to where he sat in the living room. As they both took as seat across from him he sat up in his chair as Allison cleared her throat.

"Dad, we have to ask you something about mom," Allison said looking at Scott as she said the word 'we.'

"Yeah," Mr. Argent said looking from his daughter to Scott, "and what is that?"

"Umm," Scott started and cursed himself at being nervous in front of this man, "Allison has brought up that she heard her mom...your wife, talking to a disembodied voice."

"Is that so," Mr, Argent said raising his eyebrows looking at Allison.

"Yes," Allison said with a small nod of her head. "Dad, is there anything you can tell us about this. it would be really helpful."

"Well," Mr, Argent said leaning back, "I did hear here talking to someone the other night but I didn't see anyone when I walked out there to her."

Allison and Scott's eyes widened as Allison pressed on, "did you hear what the voice said, can you tell us anything?"

With a shake of his his head Mr. Argent told his daughter, "I can't, she didn't tell me anything about it and before I could really try to get anything out of her one of the hunters on the police force came in with news about the Martin house fire."

"Did they have anything to say," Scott asked leaning up on the couch.

"He didn't say much..." Mr. Argent said looked at Scott before turning back to his daughter who was now looking crestfallen, "but he did say something about seeing a darkness or something lifting off the house and flying across town."

Allison's eyes widened as she turned from her dad to Scott and back again, "that sounds like a lot to me. Did he say anything else, anything that might be able to lead us in a direction that's anywhere from back?"

"Well he did find this," Mr. Argent said as he got up and walked over to take something small off the firplace mantel and handed it to Scott.

Scott looked at the ring and recognized to symbol on it and handed it to Allison as he looked at Mr. Argent, "are you sure he found this at the site of the fire?"

"Yup," Mr, Argent said taking his seat, "he's not one of the brightest but he is very loyal and very truthful." Scott looked at Allison who went to hand the ring back to her father but was told to keep it.

Handing the ring back to Scott Allison looked back at her father, "so aside from what you already told us, is there anything else you can tellus about mom talking to that voice? This could be very important with what's happening and the more we know the better prepared we can be."

"What is happening," Mr. Argent said narrowing his eyes at the two teens.

"Nothing we can't handle," Scott said fingering the ring and standing up. "Allison...Mr. Argent, I think it's time I go," Scott looked down at Allison who stood up with a start.

"I'll walk you to the door," Allison said as she walked around the couch and headed to the fron t door.

Mr. Argent watched the two teens leave the living room with a smile on his face, this was really going to be interesting.

Stiles parked his Jeep in his driveway and seeing his dad wasn't home he sighed as Danny looked over.

"Are you gonna be okay," Danny asked looking at Stiles with worried eyes, "you know you don't have to be home alone."

"Nah, I'll be good," Stiles said as he took off his seat belt, "given everything that's been going on I think I could use a minute to get my head clear."

"Yeah, about that," Danny said turning to his body towards Stiles, "how do you feel about being 'the key' almost to this whole thing?"

Sighing Stiles leaned back in his seat, "I guess so. I mean, I am excited about being a big part of this but I really don't know what to do."

"Is this the same guy that gave that speech about hope earlier," Danny said with a small laugh.

Stiles smiled at that, "yeah well I don't know where that came from, I guess I just thought that someone had to be the one who wasn't completely bummed."

"I wasn't bummed," Danny said in mock offense, "I was just gauging the situation."

"Mmm, yeah," Stiles said with a smirk on his face, "I'm sure you were."

Danny looked at Stiles with that smile on his face and flashed back to what Lydia had said the other day; yeah she was a bit of a beast right now but she was still one of his best friends. She rarely said anything that she wasn't completely sure about and she seemed pretty sure about what she said in the cafeteria. Danny looked at Stiles, he wasn't a bad looking guy and yeah he'd even say that he was attractive but he'd never let Stiles know that. The boy was so wrapped up in Lydia and with everything that was going on now was not the time to even think about anything like this. Danny shook his head and straightened himself in the chair, "I just want to make sure that you're okay with all of this."

Stiles looked from Danny and played with his hands in his lap, "yeah, I'm okay with this. I mean compared to a few days ago I never would've thought that I'd be this important to anything, so it's...new."

"Is it new in a good way, or new in a bad way," Danny asked giving Stiles an intent look.

"I don't think anything can be new in a bad way, it's just new and I don't really know what I'm supposed to do. I guess I'm a little scared but I'm willing to do whatever I have to to make sure that you guys are all okay," Stiles said not making eye contact with Danny.

"Well that's all fine and well but what about you," Danny asked really trying to get Stiles to open up.

"I'm going to be okay with this," Stiles said sighing heavily. "I'm going to be okay because I have to be, this is way bigger than me and I can't sit around and worry about how scared I am when there are innocent lives at risk."

"What are you scared of," Danny asked giving Stiles that same intent look.

"I don't know," Stiles said closing his eyes and leaning back against the head rest. "I guess I'm just worried that something like what happened with Lydia back when we had to deal with the alpha will happen again. I can't let that happen again...I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened to anyone else. I mean, you see what happened with Lydia, and I was right there and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I watched Danny, I watched as Peter tore into her. I heard her screams and I saw the fear in her eyes as Peter's teeth sank into her. I saw her fall to the floor and even though I was right there next to her I still couldn't do anything because I couldn't fight Peter. I can't have that happen to anyone else and if I can be there, and have the guts to actually do something, I won't let that happen. Not again, not this time, not that I know that I can do something and be some kind of help in this whole thing. I'm tired of people saying I'm weak, and I'm tired of feeling like I can't compare with the others because I don't have a skill that's worth anything in a fight. It's my turn now to do something beside sit behind a computer desk or with my nose in a book. I won't let anyone else get hurt, I refuse to," Stiles said huffing.

Danny watched as this happened and was completely awed by the person he saw in front of him.

"Stiles," Danny said reaching a hand over to touch the boy's arm, "you can't put all of this on you."

"Can't I? Danny," Stiles said turning to look at the boy, "I have to make sure that everything goes okay. Even though I never had her, I can't lose Lydia again."

Danny rubbed Stiles arm before moving it away, "it'll be fine, we're all going to make sure that no one gets hurt." He leaned back and saw his dad pull up into the driveway. "My dad just got home, are you sure you want to be alone still?"

Stiles rolled his head over to see Danny's father get out of the car and walk into the house, "Yeah…I think I'm just gonna rest until my dad gets home. Why, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Danny said defeatedly as he went to get out of the car but was stopped by Stiles.

"Wait," Stiles said grabbing onto Danny's arm, "what's the matter?"

"Nothing," Danny said letting himself settle back in but still keeping his hand on the door. "I just…don't feel like being around my dad is all."

Stiles looked back at Danny's house before looking back at the boy, "what's wrong with you and your dad?"

"Nothing," Danny shook his head and adjusted his backpack on his lap. "It's just my dad's weird about me and everything, and I just don't want to be home right now."

Stiles looked from Danny and then back to where the boy's father had went into the house. "Well then you can stay at my house until your mom gets home."

"Don't feel like you have to…" Danny started.

"Have to what," Stiles asked. "You're my friend and you're coming inside. You won't have to eat vegetables," Stiles offered the last party with an eyebrow wiggle.

Danny laughed at that, "well it seems like you've got me sold."

"You know there's this really amazing invention called knocking, you should try it sometime," Derek said over his shoulder as Jackson walked through the front door.

"I don't have time for your snarkiness," Jackson said in a huff as he closed the door. "We have bigger problems that your ego."

"Oh yeah," Derek said turning to face the boy, "and what's that?"

"Lydia."

"Yeah, what about her," Derek said walking over and plopping down on the couch.

"If I used the word possession would you get off your ass," Jackson asked setting his jaw tight and glaring at Derek.

Derek froze, "wha...what?"

"Yeah," Jackson said relaxing a bit and walking over from th door. "Morgan thought she and Stiles could try something earlier today and maybe save us some time but, things got worse and next thing we knew Lydia was basically making a threat on their lives in the cafeteria."

"And why am I just now finding out about this," Derek asked crossing his arms. "Whaat happened to me being kept in the loop?"

"This IS you being kept in the loop," with a shake of his head. "They sent me here to tell you because according to Morgan everything's about to go down so we're all just...preparing."

"Preparing for what," Derek asked standing up glaring at Jackson.

"For a fight...with whatever's inside of Lydia," Jackson hesitated.

"What's inside of Lydia, Jackson," Derek asked taking a step forward.

"A kitten ghost," Jackson said sarcastically. "When you hear the word possession, what do you generally think of?"

Derek swallowed, "fine...but this is bigger than us."

"And what's that supposed to mean," Jackson said looking away from Derek.

"It means that werewolves and demons don't really go hand-in-hand. It means that someone who isn't a werewolf is the cause for this," Derek walked over to get his jacket.

"But Lydia..."

"This is bigger than Lydia," Derek said as he shrugged on his jacket. "Lydia was just the channel...the reason for the thing to be able to manifest itself. We have to find Morgan."

"But..." Jackson started but it was too late though, Derek was already out the house and was getting in his car.

"I'm leaving in five, Jackson," Derek called from the driver's seat. "Five...four...three..." Jackson was in the car with his seat belt buckled. "Where does she live," Derek asked putting his car in drive and pulling off.

"I don't know," Jackson said shaking his head. "We have to get Stiles, he should know where she lives."

"Fine, call him," and with that they were off in the direction of Stiles' house.

Stiles picked up his phone and saw it was a call from Jackson.

"Who's that," Danny asked from where he was on the couch consuming his third slice of pepperoni and sausage pizza.

"It's Jackson, turn down the movie a bit." As Danny lowered the volume Stiles picked up his phone. "Jackson...how did you get my number."

"That doesn't matter," Jackson said over Stiles, "come outside."

Stiles looked at his phone and was both confused and shocked by Jackson's tone, he hung up his phone and looked at Danny with that same confused look.

"What just happened," Danny asked standing up at the look on Stiles' face.

Stiles furrowed his brow, "ummm...Jackson just told me to come outside."

Danny looked out the window, "he's outside...is that Derek?"

Stiles walked over to where Danny was at the window and with a sigh said, "yeah..."

Stiles walked out the house with Danny behind him as Jackson got out the car. "What do you want?"

"We need you to show us where Morgan lives," Jackson said leaning on the car as Derek warned him to watch the paint job.

"Why would I do that," Stiles said crossing his arms as Danny closed the door behind them.

"Because Derek just told me that it would've taken someone who isn't a werewolf to make that possession happen," Jackson said huffing. "Listen, just get in the car...you too Danny," Jackson said as he got back in the car and closed the door.

Danny leaned over to Stiles, "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Yeah me too," and with that both boys got in Derek's car and made their way to Morgan's house.

"Lydia."

The girl looked up from where she was leaning over the small desk that was in the motel room she now called home and sighed, "what do you want, I just want to finish this math assignment for tomorrow."

"It's time we really talk about...us."

Lydia scoffed, "there is no 'us' got it?"

"Oh but you see there is," the voice said with a sly tone, "because when I called your name that night and you heard me a bond was created. Then when you got curious and followed me into the woods it was all solidified, you and I are one."

"No...we're not."

"Oh but we are," the voice moved closer to her ear, "because now I'm inside you and I've had enough time to fully take control of your body. You're mine now Lydia and there's nothing you can do about it." Lydia was horrified, she got up to run but found that she couldn't move. "I told you Lydia, I have complete control of your body...see?" Lydia felt her arm come up and shoot behind her. She winced in pain as she felt the bone pop out of it's socket.

"You see," the voice said as Lydia's shoulder repaired itself, "this is why I was happy you heard my voice, I need a body like this that can take abuse and still carry on strong. Lydia, I have big plans for us and it all starts with you getting a little close to a couple of your friends."

With her lips drawn in a tight line Lydia said, "I'm not going to help you with anything."

"I thought we already agreed that you had no control over what you do?" Lydia felt her legs start to move across the room as the voice began to speak and it's words came from her mouth, "Lydia, my dear, you are going to get in so much trouble." She felt her lips pull into a painful grin and as she looked at her reflection in the window she was scared; the grin had transformed her face into that of some awful creature...some awful, evil creature.

"Well I'm just going to say this," Stiles said poking his head up front, "this is a bad idea."

"Yeah," Danny said from where he was in the back, "I don't think Morgan is the type of girl who likes for people to show up unannounced."

"I wouldn't be so much worried about Morgan than I am about her mom," Stiles said looking back at Danny.

"What's wrong with her mom," Jackson asked leaning back to look at Stiles who was a little too close for comfort.

"Well nothing as far as I can see," Stiles said leaning over to change the radio station but stopped when Derek gave him a death glare. "She just has a set of eyes that can send a chill down Derek's back."

Derek glared at him as he turned down the volume a bit, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say that when I was there I felt like a mouse in a hawk's line of sight," Stiles said sitting back.

It was Danny's turn to lean up, "I'm still confused, why are we going to Morgan's house again?"

"If Lydia is possessed," Derek said with a low voice, "then only a witch could've made it happen."

Danny leaned back not liking the answer he got and looked over at Stiles who wasn't looking too excited

either. They rode in silence for a while before Stiles gave them the turn off and Derek's Camaro pulled into the cracked driveway of Morgan's home.

"Well doesn't this look inviting," Jackson said as he looked through the widnsheild and up at the dull house.

"We're here, what are we supposed to do now," Danny said as he looked up through the window.

"'Oh hello, Morgan, we'd like to come in and chat with you about how we think you're the cause for all our trouble…and Lydia too,'" Stiles said in a mocking tone. "Guys, I can't believe you seriously think that Morgan would cause all of this."

"We never said that," Derek said looking at the boy in his rear view mirror. "We just want to make sure that we have all the information. And seriously, what are the odds that right after Lydia got bitten that all of a sudden she gets possessed. And Morgan just happens to show up right when all this happens."

"I feel like I should be surprised that you would say something like this, Derek," Stiles said leaning up, resting his elbow on Jackson's seat, "but I don't find it surprising at all. It's good to know you never disappoint."

"Don't give me that, Stilinski," Derek said looking at the boy from the side of his eye. "I don't trust Morgan, she might have you all fooled but not me. I find hard to believe that she just showed up by accident."

"She didn't," Stiles cut in, "she was sent here by her priestess. She and her family uprooted themselves completely to be here for this."

"Is that supposed to make me feel like I can trust her? I don't care about her, all I know is she came here and all of this just started to happen around her, " Derek never rook his eyes from the door that led to Morgan's house.

"Hey…guys," Danny said tentatively but was shot down.

"Hold on Danny. What do you mean you don't care? She's sworn her life to make sure that all of this gets settled and you're gonna say that you don't care? Wow, I knew you were cold Derek but I didn't take you as heartless," Stiles leaned back and with a huff crossed his arms.

"It looks like Morgan's waiting for us," Jackson said from where he had be quietly focusing on whatever he could out the window.

Stiles got out and walked ahead to where Morgan was standing by the untrimmed hedges that served as a marker for the property line. As he walked up to her she grabbed his hand and patted it in a way to comfort him.

"I know Stiles," Morgan said in a tired voice. "It'll be fine, I just have to make him see what's really going on."

"And what is that by the way," Derek said as he walked up to where the two teens were standing.

"Derek," Morgan said as she tried to muster up a smile, "it's nice to see you again, even if under these circumstances."

"Save it. Now tell me what the hell is going on with Lydia," Derek asked as Danny and Jackson finally caught up to them.

"Possession," Morgan said simply. "And that's all I can really tell you, I don't know anything else about what's been going on with her."

"I find that hard to believe," Derek said raising an eyebrow and leaning in a bit closer to Morgan.

"You can try and intimidate me all you want, Derek. It didn't work on me with Jackson and it certainly won't work with you," Morgan said in a sure tone.

"I don't have to intimidate you to strangle you," Derek said with a sick sneer as he grabbed Morgan by the neck and lifted her off the ground.

Stiles and Danny ran to try and pull him off of her but they were no match for his alpha strength. Jackson, unsure about what to do, looked like a lost child.

"Let go of her Derek," Stiles yelled as he pulled at the older male's arm.

"Derek, get off of her," Danny yelled from where he was trying to help Stiles.

"No," Morgan said gasping for air, "it's fine."

"What! It's not fine," Stiles was still trying in vain to pull Derek's hand from around Morgan's neck.

"Stop Stiles, you're hurting me," Morgan said as she pushed his arm away.

Stiles stepped back, "I'm…I'm hurting you?"

"Just shh," Morgan closed her eyes and even her breathing. "I need quiet."

Derek stood looking unsure as Morgan calmed herself and controlled her breathing even though she was dangling a clear foot off of the ground by her neck.

Morgan began mumbling to herself in a more rushed manner than when she had done this before; Stiles didn't know what was going to happen but he pulled Danny back, and Jackson followed their lead as a drop of rain landed on his cheek. As if someone had turned on the shower rain fell from the sky in sheets, the boys looked at each other in the sudden rain but were lost when it stopped as quickly as it started. Then there was a flash followed by an earsplitting peel of thunder, they heard Morgan yell cover you eyes and just as they did they saw a white flash from behind there lids and the air filled with a heat that stuck to their skin.

When the boys open their eyes they found Derek laying face down on the floor in a smoking heap as Morgan stood beside him dusting herself off.

"What…what did you do," Jackson yelled as he ran over and fell to his knees beside the alpha.

"Nothing," Morgan said as she rubbed a hand around her neck, "I could've killed him, but he's just stunned. He'll be fine, just give him a few minutes."

"What did you do," Stiles asked from where he was still standing next to Danny, who by the way, was unsure if he should move or not.

"Just a little lighting," was all she said. "We're going to have to move from here; Jackson can you get him, and Stiles you have Danny right?"

"Uhm…yeah," Stiles said as he looked over at a still paralyzed Danny. "Where are we supposed to go?"

"Anywhere," Morgan said as she picked up a bag that Stiles hadn't noticed was there, "we have to get away from…"

"Hello Morgana."

Morgan froze where she stood and Stiles grabbed Danny's arm as the icy voice of the woman reached their ears.

"Who are you friends," the woman asked from where she had materialized at the side of the house. She walked up to her daughter with smile on her face that could curdle milk, "it's not polite to have friends over and not introduce them to your parents."

"I'd hardly call you a parent," Morgan said under her breath as the woman walked over to Stiles and Danny.

Danny didn't know what was happening but moved back when he felt Stiles pull his arm. "Stiles, who is that," Danny asked as Stiles kept pulling him back.

"Don't be scared Stiles," the woman said looking the boy in the eye. "I just want to meet the boy my daughter dreams about." Stiles blanched as Morgan coloreed to her scalp.

"Mother!"

"Oh hush, Morgana," the woman said not taking her eyes off Stiles. "When we were told to move here I didn't think that you'd find anyone so cute, it's kind of tragic though, isn't it? I mean, with eveyrthing that's supposed to happen...you're going to lose him." Stiles moved away as Amara tried to place a hand on his face.

"You leave him alone," Morgan said grabbing her mother's arm. "You don't have any right to touch him and you certainly don't have any right to say anything about me. You gave that up the moment you decided I wasn't good enough to be your daughter."

"We're not going to have this conversation here," Amara waved her off, "not with such strange company." As if on cue a flash arrow struck the ground in front of Jackson where he had been holding Derek up. Jackson fell to the group dropping Derek as another flash arrow landed between Amara and the others. Before they knew what was going on they felt a net get thrown over them and they all fell to the ground under the weight. There was the sound of scuffling in the unexplainable fog that had fallen and a scream from Jackson.

When the fog had lifted and they could get out from under the net they saw that Morgan's mother was gone...and so was Derek.

To be continued...


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING
> 
> Verbal and some physical abuse.
> 
> ((Sorry guys, I really didn't want it to happen but that's how the story flowed.))

Derek woke up to a dimly lit room, the smell of wolfsbane and coagulated blood flooded his nose.

"It's good to see that you're up, I thought my daughter may have killed you…you did start to stink," Derek looked up to see a tall woman walking amongst the silhouettes of bodies that were placed at the doors and windows with rifles at the ready.

"Who are you," was all that Derek could muster to say.

"I'm Morgan's mother of course, don't tell me that you can't see the family resemblance." Derek watched as the woman walked up to him and into the light; he saw that she had Morgan's eyes and her mess of dark hair. Her sharp jaw line was what really shown that she was Morgan's mother, but one thing that her daughter had that she didn't was a small spark behind her eyes; this woman had a darkness behind her eyes, a darkness that hid lies and deceit all too well.

"What are you," Derek asked as he realized that he was chained up to a wall of wires.

"Given your situation, that doesn't matter," Amara said with a sly grin as she stood next to one of her hunters. "I will say this, you are very important to what I have planned little dog."

"I'm not a dog," was all Derek could manage to say before an aconite dart pierced his neck and he passed out cold.

"We have to get rid of him," one of the hunters said.

"Does that Argent woman know you're working for me," Amara asked as she admired one of the needles that had just pierced Derek's skin.

"No," the hunter said, "but she is staring to get suspicious."

"That sounds like an error on your end," Amara said turning to the hunter who was controlling the voltage of Derek's restraints. "I've done nothing but hand them over to you and you can't even seem to manage that."

"It's not our fault," one of the hunters said. "We're under specific orders to not harm them."

"That doesn't matter to me," Amara said with a wave of her hand. "I am beyond what feeble orders you receive. I am beyond what you humans perceive as acceptable behavior, right now I'm all about protecting my existence." The dart that she had been holding levitated in her hand before flying across the room finding purchase in Derek's chest. "Get me another one."

"Another one," one of the hunters asked.

"Yes," Amara said, "I need the young one."

"The young one, my lady?"

"The boy wolf," Amara said in annoyance. "I need the boy wolf! The one that was sired by Peter! I need both of them for this to work, now go and get me the boy." As the hunters left the room Amara walked over to where Derek was hanging limply from the wall and stroking his face she whispered, "my daughter wants a test, so I'll give her one."

"Scott we've lost Derek," Stiles yelled into his phone. "We were at Morgan's house because Derek wanted to talk to her about something, and then her mom showed up. Then there were flash arrows and a net, then this crazy fog rolled in and Jackson screamed and then Derek was gone and so was Morgan's mother."

"Okay calm down." Scott said into his phone evenly. "Where are you now?"

"We're in Derek's car, Jackson is driving," Stiles said from where he was seated in the passenger seat.

"Is it just you and Jackson," Scott asked getting up from his computer and walking around the room.

"No," Stiles said looking back at Morgan who was sitting morosely in the back next to a very quiet Danny.

"Alright. My mom's at work so come to my house and explain to me what happened," Scott put on a shirt before heading downstairs to wait for them.

"Okay, we'll be there in ten," Stiles hung up his phone at looked over at Jackson. "We're going to Scott's house." Jackson just nodded as he pressed down on the gas determined to cut that ten down to a three.

When he heard them pull into the driveway Scott ran from where he was sitting on the couch to open the door for them. Stiles was the first to get out of the car, followed by a grim looking Morgan and a very shaken looking Danny with Jackson pulling up the rear looking at least a little better than the others.

"What happened, you guys," Scott asked as they filed in by him one by one.

"Derek got taken," Jackson said as he was the last to walk in.

"I heard that, but how," was what Scott wanted to know.

"They were at my house," Morgan spoke up as she walked over to stand by the staircase. "They had come to talk to me about how Derek thought I was the one that was responsible for Lydia's condition when my mom showed up out of the blue."

"And the next thing we know," Stiles said from where he had been standing next to Danny, "someone had thrown a net over us, Jackson was screaming, and Derek was gone and so was Morgan's mom."

"And the flash arrows," Danny said quietly. "There were flash arrows before everything got crazy."

"Flash arrows," Scott asked looking at Jackson. "Does that mean that hunters were involved?"

"Apparently," Jackson said in a huff. "I think it's time we talk to Allison about this."

"Yeah," Scott said looking down, "...but wait, why would Derek think you'd be responsible for Lydia, Morgan?"

"Because demons and werewolves don't really go together," Jackson said as he sauntered over to Morgan. "So Morgan, please explain why Derek would've thought that you were responsible...I'm sure you have a very enlightening response."

"It's because I'm a witch," Morgan said looking down.

"That's not the answer I wanted," Jackson said stepping up to Morgan but Scott jumped in between them.

"Morgan," Scott said keeping his hand just off of Morgan's shirt, "something was found at the house fire by one of Mr. Argent's hunters." He reached a hand in his pocket and pulled out the ring with the star on it. "They found this, Morgan, and they know about you...they know you're a witch and I'm sure that they're planning on coming after you."

"They can do whatever they want," Morgan said as she took the ring from Scott and Jackson backed off. "I'm not scared of her and her hunters, we've got someone bigger to worry about."

"Please say it's Lydia," Danny said as Stiles gave him a withering sidelong glance.

"No," Morgan said shaking her head looking over Scott's shoulder at Danny, "my mom."

"The alpha's been captured," the voice said from the darkness of what was now known as the hunter's gathering place.

"Well that's a setback," Mrs. Argent said as she aimed a crossbow at one of the targets at the back of the hall. "Whom, may I ask, captured him?"

"The witch."

"The little witch," Victoria said impressed, "that's quite a feat for her."

"I didn't say it was the little witch."

Mrs. Argent let the crossbow fall to her side, "there's another witch?"

"Her mother," the voice said as it followed Mrs. Arget to the weapons rack. "She's more powerful than her daughter...or so she likes to think."

"What's that supposed to mean," Mrs. Argent asked turning to face nothing.

"Laws forbid me from claiming sides," the voice lied, "but I will say that she has a bigger problem than she thinks at the hands of her daughter."

"What do you mean your mom," Jackson asked walking up to Morgan while Scott was busy calling Allison.

"I mean my mother doesn't like me," Morgan said rolling her eyes. "She knows why I'm here and she's already proven that she has no scruples when it comes to getting what she wants."

"Morgan," Stiles said walking up to her, "how big of a problem is your mother going to be?"

"Well..." Morgan said looking down, "I don't know, she's never used her power in front of me."

"Can't you, like, see the future or something," Jackson asked watching Morgan.

"It doesn't work like that," Morgan rolled her eyes looking at Jackson. "Besides it's not like I could see anything about my mother anyway."

"What? Why," Jackson asked scrunching his nose.

"Because it's some rule about bloodlines and elder witches; I can't see what she does same as she couldn't see what my grandmother did."

"That doesn't make sense," Jackson glared down at the girl.

"It doesn't have to make sense," Morgan said looking up into the taller boy's eyes. "There are rules that have been around for generations and there's nothing I can do to change that."

"It sounds a little too convenient if you ask me," Jackson said walking away from where Morgan and Stiles were standing.

"Allison's on her way," Scott said walking back to the group. "She wants us to tell her about what happened with the arrows and stuff."

"Am I the only one who's freaking out," Jackson asked as he started to pace back and forth.

"No," Danny said from where he was still pretty quiet.

"We have to just…relax for a bit," Stiles said gesturing with his hands.

"We can't relax," Jackson said gesturing wildly. "You're telling us that Lydia is possessed and Morgan's mom might behind it and oh, Derek's been kidnapped and we have hunters on our asses. I would really love for you to explain just how we are supposed to relax. So please, explain to me how we're supposed to relax?"

"Jackson," Morgan said evenly walking over and placing a hand on the boys shoulder, "relax." They all watched as if a switch was hit and Jackson calmed down. "Now guys," Morgan said addressing the group as Jackson had a bit of a grin on his face, "we can't lose our cool, right now we have to come up with a plan of action and I think it's time I let you guys meet someone."

"Is this that all mysterious voice you're always talking about," Stiles asked while looking at Jackson from the side of his eye.

"It is actually," Morgan said with a nod.

"Wait, what voice," Danny asked from where he had been standing quietly by the door.

"Morgan has this voice she talks to," Scott spoke up from where he had been poking Jackson. "It gives her information of some of the things that happen around town."

"And...you all hear this voice," Danny asked inching closer with his eyes squinted.

"No," Morgan said this time, "I don't know if they'll hear it but I have to at least let you guys see who it is. They're supposed to be helping me with the spell I need to work to get rid of the demon that's inside of Lydia."

"But you said you're a legacy witch, why do you need help," Stiles asked from where he was now helping Scott poke Jackson.

"I am," Morgan said looking at the group, "but it's never bad to ask for help. Besides, the more help you have with casting a spell the easier it'll be."

"And the bigger the chance that something could wrong," Jackson said in a voice that wasn't his own.

They all watched as Jackson stood so still that it was highly unnerving.

"Hello Morgana," the voice came from Jackson's lips but was clearly female.

Morgan stepped closer and tilted her head to the side, "mother?"

"Hi dear," Amara's smile crept across Jackson's lips.

Stiles backed up to a now stunned Danny as Scott stepped protectively next to Morgan.

"So you're Scott," Jackson's eyes trained on the boy but they had the green-gray iris that belonged to Amara. "I've heard so much about you through the wind, little wolf. I must say I hoped I'd gotten to meet you under, shall we say…better circumstances."

A growl escaped from Scott's throat but Morgan placed a hand on his arm.

"I wouldn't get so ahead of myself if I were you, little wolf," Amara's voice paused as Jackson walked around the boy and the girl before stopping in front of both of them. "I have Derek."

Scott went to lunge at Jackson but stopped himself when he remember that this was still Jackson.

"Why are you doing this," he asked looking Jackson in the eyes that weren't his.

"I was bored," Amara's voice said with a shrug of Jackson's shoulder as he sashayed over to where Stiles and Danny were. Stiles stepped protectively in front of Danny as Jackson walked up with that sick smile of Amara's. "Plus, it'll be way to much fun to see why it is that my daughter was picked for this anyway." Amara's voice acknowledged Stiles now, "don't worry about your little friend back there, I have no interest in him…even though he clearly has interest in you." Stiles looked back at a pale Danny who gulped when he met Stiles' eyes. "And as for you, Scott," Jackson turned and pressed up to Scott, "I'll have you soon." There was the sick smile again but this time it stretched Jackson's face in a grotesque way before it vanished completely and Jackson fell to the ground in a gasping heap.

"What…what just happened," Jackson stammered out as he tried to gather his breath, sweat dotting his forehead as he looked from one face to another; Morgan who looked more sullen than ever, Scott whose eyes were wide with fear, Stiles and his darting eyes as he kept glancing over to a very pale and slightly sweaty Danny. "What happened," Jackson asked one more time but he blanched when Scott spoke the next words.

"She's coming for me next."

Amara laughed maniacally to herself as she picked her head up from her mirror bowl, droplets of water falling from her face and giving her skin a glow from the waxing moon.

"You're…evil," Derek said with labored breaths from where he was still hung up on the wall.

"And you've gone too long without getting punished little dog," Amara snapped her fingers and Derek howled in pain grasping for his head but the restraints not allowing it. "Aren't those shackles wonderful; tempered iron cooled in a bath of wolfsbane and plated in silver that's been blessed by a powerful witch…moi." Amara laughed to herself and picked up a nail file, "I'm almost in awe at how amazing I am."

"I'm…going…to…bite your HEAD OFF," Derek yelled with a great deal of effort.

"I'm bored," Amara snapped her fingers twice; one causing Derek to clutch for his head again and the other to call in a hunter. "Go to the woman, tell her I want to meet her. I'll let her choose the place but she must come alone and unarmed. Go now." Amara turned to face Derek completely now as the hunter ran out of the room. "You know, I've always wanted a pet puppy and soon I'll have two," she clapped her hands in excitement of her plan and smiled as she tunred in her chair to face Derek.

"What do you mean she wants to meet me," Mrs. Argent asked incredulously.

"I was told to come here and tell you that she wants to meet with you; she's allowing you to pick the place but she urges you to come alone and unarmed."

"Allowing me," Mrs. Argent said with a snort, "do you hear that Chris?"

"I think you should go," Mr. Argent said with a smile looking over at his wife. "After all, she does have the alpha and at most we'd be able to gather some valuable first hand information on this woman."

Mrs. Argent looked at her husband with disbelief but noticed that glint in his eye that she's come to recognized. "Fine," she said turning back to the treacherous hunter turned messenger, "tell her to meet me at the abandoned lodge in the woods at midnight tonight; the sooner we get this out the way the better."

The hunter ran off to deliver the message as Mr. Argent turned with a smile to his wife, "the abandoned lodge in the woods? The same one we keep our back up arsenal at?"

"The one and the same," Mrs. Argent said turning her nose up with a smile as she walked back into the house.

"Are you sure that's a good idea," Mr. Argent said as he closed the door and walked over to wife who still had that smile on her face.

"Oh yes," Mrs. Argent said with that same smile. "She told me to come unarmed but she didn't say anything about having weaponry already there. Now come help me with something, I've only got three hours."

Just as they were about to go upstairs they heard a thud and looked out the window in time to see Allison run to her car.

"Should we stop her," Mr. Argent said looking over to his wife.

"No, let her go." Mrs. Argent closed the curtains and put a hand around her husband's waist to pull him away from the window, "she has her own business to take care of."

Allison looked up at the ledge she had just jumped from and wobbled on her ankle; she hadn't stuck the landing too well. She didn't have time to worry about that now, she had to get to Scott's house. She ran to her car and checked to make sure she had her bow in the trunk before getting behind the wheel and peeling off in the direction of Scott's house.

Driving down the road that led through the woods at this time of night was anything but comforting; Allison kept checking her mirrors while nervously biting her nails. Her headlights shown brightly on the wet asphalt as the yellow dividing lines flashed by, she didn't see the flash of red hair that passed her passenger side window or the fog that followed her car. She pulled around the bend and stopped her car just in time to miss Lydia. Her body lurched back and her hair was splayed across her face as she looked out the windshield.

Lydia stood in the middle of the road her breath a cloud around her head, her shoulders moving up and down with each breath, her hair a messy red halo around her head. And even though her headlights were on the girl she couldn't see her face, all she saw was her eyes that glowed a hellish orange.

"Get out of the car Allison," the girl said in a deep voice but Allison heard her loud and clear, she shook her head in response.

"Get out of the car, Allison."

Allison looked around as a fog rolled in and cut off the road that was just behind Lydia. The world outside her car windows had become gray and still like the ocean on a windless night; she looked back at Lydia who seemed to have grown in size.

"Get out of the car," Lydia was now running towards Allison's car. Allison swerved around Lydia just as the girl lunged for her car, but felt her hit the car and the sound of tearing metal; Allison drove on and only looked in her rear view mirror once at the girl who was watching her escape with her hellish orange eyes and a shred of metal hanging from her hand that now looked like a claw and was dripping blood.

Danny looked up from where he had slumped against the wall over to where Scott was pacing and Jackson was sitting on the stairs with his head in his hands, and where Morgan was leaning on the wall biting her nails and Stiles was leaning against the couch. Fear and desperation filled the room and what little hope they had was getting stifled out like a flame in a leaky room.

Scott stood up as the sound of tires screeched in his driveway and Allison burst through the door, just barely missing Danny. They all stood up but Scott ran over to her, her breathing was a bit rough but she composed herself.

"Guess who I ran into on the way here," Allison said as Scott pulled her into a hug.

"Lydia," Morgan said rubbing her temples and leaning back against the wall.

"Yeah," Allison said pulling away from Scott, "and there was this really weird thick fog that just came out of no where."

"And my mom," Morgan slid down the wall.

"Well," Stiles said walking up to Allison, "did she do anything?"

Allison nodded, "she kept telling me to get out of the car."

"Did she do anything else," Stiles asked bringing a hand to his chin.

"Uh, yeah," Allison said nodding her head again. "Yeah, right when I swerved by her she attacked my car; all I heard was the sound of ripping metal and when I looked back she was staring at me with her orange eyes...and her hand, her hand was like a claw and it was bleeding the way she was holding a piece of metal from my car."

"Orange eyes...claws..." Danny repeated from where he was now standing awkwardly.

"Yeah," Allison turned to him. "She looked wild…feral even. What ever it is that has a hold on her is really taking over."

Danny shuddered as a chill ran down his spine and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"So Lydia's a wild beast now," Jackson asked walking over to where Scott and Stiles were exchanging worried glances.

"I'd say so," Allison said walking around to sit on the couch. "You guys had something you wanted to tell me right?"

"The Argents have already claimed this as their territory," the hunter said to the group.

"The Argents lost all right to a jurisdiction when they decided to help wolves kill an alpha," one of the men said who was wearing a vest with silver lining.

"But they've been here for so long, aside from helping the wolves they've done no wrong," the small hunter spoke up.

"What do you mean they've done no wrong," a tall woman with her hair in a tight ponytail said to the hunter. "By them allowing a wolf to live they've done everything wrong."

"But that's not fair," the small huntress spoke up again.

"We're well past impartiality," the female huntress spoke up again. "There's a rumor going around that the youngest Argent has become smitten with a wolf, is this true?"

"I don't think the counsel should be listening to rumors passed around by hunters in the field," the brave hunter spoke up again.

"And I don't think a lowly hunter should be talking to me this way," the tall woman walked up to the very verbal girl.

"Joanna," the man with the vest spoke up, "back down, there's no need to press her. She's only here defending her madam, she's done well with us and there's no reason to treat her this way."

"Really Aidyn," Joanna turned to the man now, "she's a hunter, she could have killed the wolves just the same."

"And gone against the orders of her madam," a quiet voice rose from where Joanna had been standing next to Aidyn.

"Rebecca," Joanna said turning to the small woman, "would you have allowed the wolves to live?"

"If it was the orders of my madam I would," Rebecca said turning her nose up at Joanna. "We have no right to question her this way," she said walking over to Joanna and the small huntress.

"Amanda," she said touching the woman's arm, "you're free to go, and when you get the chance tell Victoria that I said hello."

Amanda backed away from the three members of the counsel, bowing slightly, before turning and leaving the place at once.

Joanna rounded on Aidyn, "you're just going to let her go? We should be punishing her!"

"Cool your temper, Joanna," Aidyn said walking over to the other two. "We'll have plenty of time to follow procedure, but right now we need someone to be our eyes and ears on the Argents."

Lydia came to and found herself standing on the road in the middle of the woods. She looked around scared and bewildered; confused as to how she got here and scared because of how she got there. She felt the cold of the wet asphalt under her bare feet and the night air wash over her face. She looked at her hand that was stained with blood but bore no open wound and the scrap of metal that she was holding; what had she done and who's blood was this? Her hair was a swirl around her face as she looked up just in time to jump out of the way of a speeding car. Landing in a ditch on the side of the road with a thump she scrambled to her feet and tried to find her way back home.

"So what's our plan of attack," Allison asked looking away from Scott to where the others either sat on chairs or chose to stand in the living room.

"Well first off we should take care of my mother," Morgan said from where she was hugging her knees in a chair that Stiles had pulled from the kitchen.

"And what can we do about your mother," Jackson asked with a sigh from where he stood behind Scott and Allison. "I mean, if she can take over my body from wherever she is then what chance do we have…unless, you can do stuff like that."

"I can't," Morgan said looking away from Jackson. "I wasn't taught that yet; it's usually the mother who passes things like that down to her daughter but…well, you've seen my mother."

"Yeah what's with that," Stiles asked from where he was leaning against the lazy chair that Danny was sitting in and gesturing with one of his hands. "What's her problem with you?"

"I wish I knew," Morgan said burying her face in her knees. "She's always been like this, and my father's always just let her do what she wants. I think it's because I'm not scared of her and everyone else seems to be."

"But that doesn't seem right," Danny said looking over at Morgan with caring eyes. "And no one has tried to help you…you know, deal with her?"

"Only my high priestess; she was the closest thing I had to having an actual mother. She was caring and kind and loved to teach me things but, there are some things that a witch can only learn from her mother and well…" Morgan gestured loosely with her hand to where Jackson had been standing when Amara took hold of him.

"So how are we supposed to get rid of your mom," Scott asked looking over at Morgan as Allison leaned in a bit closer to him so she could hear.

"I honestly don't know," Morgan said defeatedly. "The closest thing I can thing of is talking to my high priestess but that would mean asking her for help and scrubbing the whole 'test' part of this thing."

"I think we have bigger problems than some stupid test," Jackson said a bit too excitedly.

"Jackson," Stiles spoke up, "this is a big deal for her and if she doesn't want to through this by asking her high priestess for help she shouldn't."

"Besides," Scott now said, "she has us and I think that's all the help she really needs."

Morgan smiled at that but wondered if they had forgotten that she said that she was going to get help from someone…but then Allison spoke up.

"So wait, where does this mysterious voice come into play? Can't you ask it for help?"

"I did…but it'll only help with Lydia," Morgan said squeezing her legs. "It can't really harm humans and well…my mom's human."

"So what about Lydia," Danny asked looking from Allison to Morgan. "She's human, but this voice or whatever it is can do something about her?"

"Yeah," Morgan said turning her attention to Danny, "but that's only because the thing inside of Lydia isn't human and therefore it can do something about it. And as long as we're careful, Lydia won't have to get hurt at all…but that all depends on how deep a hold this demon's got on her."

"I don't like the way that sounds," Stiles said leaning up.

"I don't either, but there are some things that can't be helped if the hold is strong and if the individual doesn't want to get rid of it," Morgan said looking from Danny to where Stiles now stood.

"Are you saying that if this thing wants to it can take Lydia with it," Stiles was really not liking what he was hearing.

"I'm not saying yes," Morgan said looking away from Stiles. "…But I'm not saying no either." And all at once questions were raised that Morgan had tried to avoid for as long as she could. She wasn't ready to answer these questions but she had to…she had to.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean," Jackson raised his voice glaring down at the girl in pure Derek fashion.

"I'm just saying that it depends on whether or not Lydia is willing to help us in this fight. If she doesn't try to reclaim herself then there's very little chance that anything we do to save her will work."

"So someone has to warn Lydia," Danny said standing up.

"It's not that simple," Morgan looked over to Danny, "anything Lydia knows so will the demon."

"So what are we supposed to do," Danny asked looking at the group. "We can't just let Lydia die like that, she's our friend."

"Isn't there something you can do, Morgan? Like, I don't know, a spell or something," Scott asked trying to be helpful.

"I don't know," Morgan said with sad eyes, "I'd have to check the family grimoire."

"So where is this family grimoire," Jackson asked throwing up air quotes.

"My mother has it."

There was a collective exasperated sigh as Stiles threw his hands in the air and Danny slumped back into the chair; Scott let his head hit the back of the couch and Allison splayed her feet out on the floor as Jackson ran a hand through his hair.

"Well that's helpful," Stiles said sarcastically. "So how do we get it from her?"

"We don't," Morgan said making eye contact with Stiles. "I do."

Lydia stumbled through the door of their hotel room and cussed under her breath at how loud she was. Pausing to listen for a moment she closed the door as quietly as she could but it was for naught; a light switched on ans Lydia turned to face her livid mother. If the looks she recieved at her appearance as she walked through the crowded lobby was any form of measure the look her mother now gave her trumped them all ten times over.

"Where have you been," her mother said in a hushed voice because of the hour but her words were heavy with animosity.

"Umm...I was out for a walk," Lydia offered, it wasn't a whole lie.

"Yeah, right," her mom said crossing her arms.

"I was," Lydia said defesively. "I went for a walk and lost track of the time."

"Lydia, you've been gone since this morning," her mother said looking at her a little concerned but still upset. "No one saw you once school let out, I had half a mind to call Sheriff Stilinski."

"No," Lydia said a bit too quickly. "Don't call him, don't call anyone. I don't need anyone else in my business."

"Your business," Mrs. Martin said in disbelief. "Since when was it your business as to where you go? You are still in high school and you are still my daughter, as far as I'm concerned you have no business." Lydia went to walk around her mother but was brabbed by her arm. "Don't you walk away from me when I'm talking to you! You've really been off the handle lately and I was willing to look passed it because of what happened but this is just been really inconsiderate." Lydia turned and glared at her mother who recoiled when instead of seeing her daughter's beautiful green eyes she was faced with the glowing red irises of some unearthly creature.

"You will let her go," the voice growled that wasn't Lydia's. "She is above you and your rules now you pitiful woman. Leave her alone or I will be forced to tear you to pieces with my teeth!"

Mrs. Martin drew her hand back so fast that she hit her chest and fear swelled in her eyes, "Lydia, what's wrong with you?"

The gravely voice laughed in her face, "this isn't Lydia."

Mrs. Martin pressed back against the wall of the hotel room, "who...who are you?"

"I'm not your daughter," the voice said as a gruesome smile stretched across Lydia's face and a growl escaped her lips as the thing lunged at the woman and tore into her arm. Mrs. Martin screamed and slumped to the floor clutching her bleeding arm, pushing herself back against the door using only her feel she shrank into the small corner where the door hinged against the wall. Never taking her eyes off of the thing that was now her daughter she saw as a change came across Lydia's face ans she turned back into the girl that she once knew.

"Mom," Lydia said reaching out for her mother but pulled away when she saw the fear in her mother's eyes as she shrank away from the touch. "What happened to you," Lydia said in a quiet voice with her eyes looking at the bite mark on her mother's arm and bringing a hand to her lip, she wiped, and looked down at her blood covered fingers. "Did I do that to you," Lydia asked taking a step to her mother who was still squeesing herself into the small alcove ove the wall and door.

There was a knock on the door and a man's voice was heard, "is everything alright in there? Someone called to complain about a woman screaming."

"Yes," Mrs. Martin said rushing to her feet to open the door. Lydia desperately wiped at the blood on her lips with a piece of discarded clothing.

The man looked down at her arm, "Are you sure you're okay Miss?"

Mrs. Martin looked down at her bloodied arm and laughed nervously looking back up at the man, "yeah, I'm just clumsy."

The man looked past Mrs. Martin to the girl who stood a ways behind her and squinted his eyes at how her mouth was red and there was a stain on her shirt, he then looked back down at the woman's arm and saw a bite mark. "Are you sure you're okay," the man asked in a quiet voice looking the woman in her eyes.

Nervously she nodded, "I'm fine, just clumsy."

The man exhaled through his nostrils clearly not believeing her, "alright, but I am going to ask you to come down with me to get that checked out."

"Uh...sure," Mrs. Martin hesitated looking back at her daughter before following the man out of the room closing the door.

"He knows," the voice said once the click signaaling that the door was locked had sounded.

"What did you do," Lydia asked angrily at nothing.

"I did what I told you I would do; anyone who tries to get in you way or harm you will be dealt with swiftly."

"But my mother," Lydia asked in desperation, "she's harmless."

"Not harmless enough that she can't be dealt with; she was getting on your nerves, Lydia, and somewhere something in you called for me."

"I never!"

"Oh you may have not, but that doesn't mean that you didn't want me there."

Lydia frustratedly pulled at her hair, "why are you doing this?"

"Because I need this body...and that is all." There was a coldness in the voice that Lydia had never paid attention to before.

"And what happened earlier, why was I in the middle of the road like that," Lydia asked looking at her hand. "Where did that blood come from?"

"Oh, that was your blood but because of your little wolf bite it healed before you even knew what happened."

"But why was I there, and why was there a piece of scrap metal in my hand," Lydia asked remembering how she had came to standing in the middle of the road completely lost.

"It wasn't scrap metal until you attack Allison's car."

"I attacked Allison," Lydia asked taking a step back in disbelief.

"Yup, you're a regular old beast."

"No," Lydia said in a more sure voice, :I would never do anything like that, Allison is my friend. It was you, all of this is you! It's all your fault!"

"Yeah well, what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to rid of you," Lydia said shaking a finger. "That's what I'll do I'll get rid of you!"

"I find that hard to believe," the voice said nonchalantly. "I'm not going anywhere until I'm ready...and even then, you're coming with me."

"I will not," Lydia yelled indignantly. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"You said that before and looked what's happened. Calm down you fool because there's nothing you can do about me, I have a power behind me with the help of a very ingenius woman."

"Whoever would stoop so low as to help is a fool," Lydia, not hiding her malice, spat out.

"Careful dear," the voice said jauntily, "let's not forget who's the pot in this situation."

Morgan walked into the cold darkness of her house; it was quiet, it was always quiet. There was a low hum as the wind flew past the windows with their broken shutters and the sound of leaves scattering outside filled the house.

"Hello," Morgan ventured, there was no response which was typical.

"Dad," she called again but still no answer.

"Mother," she called once more and steeled herself for a response that never came. The house was empty, for the first time in a long time the house was completely empty; Morgan walked up the creaky stairs and instead of turning down the hall to her room she headed in the direction of where her parents slept. She was determined to get that grimoire and she was sure that her mom kept it in their room. Old boots on even older carpet she inched down the hallway still wary of anything that could happen at the hands of her mother. She paused as she stepped on an exceptionally creaky floorboard that seemed to echo around the house, she listened. When nothing happened she inched closer and looked up at the door that led to her parents room, carefully placing a hand on the hold door nob she twisted and felt the click pound in her ears as the door quietly swung open. She looked in at the canapy bed and Victorian inspired molding of the furniture in the room, it was dark but her eyes had adjusted enough that she could see even without the help of the moon that shown through the red crushed velvet curtains. Her eyes scanned the room before they landed on a garish painting of her mother and a smile shown on her face.

The red Chevy Tahoe pulled into the make shift parking space beside the old cabin in the woods and Vitctoria looked out her windshild for signs of her quest but it was too dark even with the light from the moon. There was a thck fog that creeped along the forrest floor that caught any light given off by the waxing moon, she put her car in park and stepped out her boots making a soft sound as they came in contact with the ground. Feeling a bit uneased by the stillness of the wind she looked around as she made her way to the front door of the cabin, before she could place her hand on the door nob someone cleared their throat. Victoria turned on her heel and was looking at a tall women dressed in all black; she wore a knitted sweater whose sleeves hung loosely over her hands, a long flowing dress that ended in the shroud of fog that covered the floor and an amethyst pendant on a silver chain around her neck but it was her gray-green eyes that Mrs. Argent noticed the most; they caught the light from the moon and reflected it back as though she had the eyes of a cat who was caught in a headlight. Her hands were crossed in front of her and Victoria noticed a small wooden cross hanging from her left wrist.

"I'm Amara," the woman said with an accent that had a middle eastern twag to it. "I'm the one who called for this meeting."

"Oh," Victoria said letting her superior attitude shine through. "Is there a reason you called me here?"

"I have something you want..." Amara said with a small smile, "and you can help get me something I need."

"Yeah," Victoria said crossing her arms not believeing this woman for one second, "and what's that?"

"I have the Alpha."

Victoria paused for only a second, "yes well, that's nice. I don't see how you could think that I want him."

"Oh but you do," Amara said taking a step closer, "because you see, thereare some hunters here who aren't too happy with how you and your husband have been running things. I believe they call themselves, The Counsel."

Victoria raised an eyebrow, "I've heard nothing of this, where are you getting your infirmation?"

"I wouldn't be concerned with that if I were you," Amara said taking another step forward. "In fact, I'd be worried about them knowing that your daughter in dating a wolf." Victoria let her mask slip for only a moment but Amara noticed it and kept pressing on, "so you see, if you would give me the little wolf I'm sure I could convince the big bad hunters to leave you and your family alone."

"I won't do that," Victoria said crossing her arms over her chest again and pulling herself up to her full height. "I will not do that to my daughter and Scott. Even though I don't approve of their reltionship I can not stand to see my daughter unhappy."

"See that's your problem," Amara said closing her eyes and rubbing her forehead, "you care to much about seeing your daughter happy. If you knew what was bet for all of you you would just hand him over to me and we could avoid what has to happen."

"What has to happen," Victoria asked watching the other woman carefully.

"If you would just give me Scott you won't have to worry about that," Amara said dodging the question.

"Why do you want him," Victoria said taking a step towards the woman.

"That's none of your concern woman," Amara said a bit agitated.

"Why did you want to meet me here, we could've had this conversation in any number of other places," Mrs. Aregent said reaching a hand in her pocket.

"You see," Amara was walking side to side now with one arm crossed over her chest and gesturing with the other as she spokem she wasn't looking at Mrs. Argent anymore. "I try to be nice and give people the easy way out of things but then they're just so hard headed. I came here hoping to have a conversation from one mother to another about what's going on in our children's lives but then no one wants to listen to me. Am I a bad person," she turned to Mrs. Argent who now had her sawn-off shotgun in her hand, Amara's face fell when she noticed this. "I told you to come unarmed," Amara was looking at the gun in the other woman's hand without an ounce of fear.

"I did," Mrs. Argent said, "this just happens to be a very lucky spot for me. Now tell me, what do you want with Scott," Mrs. Argent raised the gun at Amara.

Sighing, Amara lifted her hand and the fog creeped up the stairs to where Mrs. Argent had been standing, "I really wish you hadn't pulled a gun on me."

Mrs. Argent looked aound her feet at the fog started to cover boots and readjusting her gun she glared at the woman, "what are you?"

"A witch," Amara was now disinterested in the woman, "I'm sure you've been told."

"Are you the one who's behind everything that's been going on," Mrs. Argent flared her nostrils as she lined the gun up with Amara's head.

Amara tutted, "don't ask stupid question's now." Mrs. Argent looked around as the forest seemd to come alive' trees began to bend and sway, and there was a tugging at her feet. She looked down and saw that under the cover of the fog there were long roots and vines pulling at her. Looking up she glared at Amara who was mumbling to herself with her arms out at her sides and fired a shot.

Scott shot up in his bed at the sound of the gun shot; he looked around in the darkness but wan't really paying attention, he was listeing. Listening over the sound of Stiles' light snoring since he had agreed to stay the night to make sure that nothing happened to Scott and over the sound of the wind in the trees, but there was nothing else. He was sure he heard a gun shot but couldn't convince himself that he hadn't been dreaming when he did; his emotions were on high after realising that Morgan's mother had managed to capture Derek and somehow temporarily take control over Jackson. He sat up in the dark listening but heard nothing else...then there was the sound of tires in their driveway and Scott heard his mother get out of the car and walk up to the door. Getting out of bed he stepped over a sleeping Stiles who had a sleeping bag stashed in Scott's room since they were kids and walked out his room to meet his mother as she walked through the door.

Melissa looked uo from placing her bags down and grabbed her chest in surprise, "Scott, you scared me. Did I wake you up?"

Scott smiled at his mother, he forgets from time-to-time with everything that's going on that his mother is still around. "No, I just couldn't get to sleep."

"Oh poor thing," his mother said closing the door and walking over to place a cold hand on Scott's forehead. "You don't have a fever, would you like some milk or something?"

"No thanks," he said pulling away from his mom with that smile of his, "I just have a lot on my mind."

"Is it girl problems," Melissa said giving her son a knowing smile. "Because, you know, I am a girl and I can elp you with what ever it is you need to talk about."

"No, it's not girl problems," he said looking down at his feet and then over at the Crocs his mom was wearing. "It's just...stuff."

"You're not doing drugs are you," his mother said crossing her arms over her chest.

"What," Scott said looking up, "no, I don't do drugs mom."

"M'kay...just don't make me break out a random drug test on you," she squinted her eyes at her son but couldn't help but smile. "I'm tired honey," she said giving Scott a tired smile, "I worked a double today and I have another double tomorrow, but if you wanna talk I'm all ears."

Scott smiled, "it's okay, mom. I think I'm going to try and get to sleep myself."

"Okay honey," she moved a piece of hair ot his face before resting a hand on his cheek and looking him in his eyes, "I love you."

"I love you too, mom."

And with that his mother walked upstairs and yelped. Scott closed his eyes remembering that Stiles was upstairs. "Stiles," she yelled, "stop creeping around the house."

"Sorry Mrs. McCall," Scott heard Stiles say as the boy made his way downstairs. "Hey man," Stiles said yawning, "why are you up?"

"I heard a gun shot."

Stiles paused from where he was stretching, "yeah...where did it come from?"

"I think it came from the woods," Scott said leaning on the back of the couch.

"Do you wanna go check it out," Stiles asked scratching his head.

"Nah," Scott exhaled, "I've had enough excitement for today."

The front door slammed open and Amara's voice carried up the staisrs to Morgan's ears; the girl froze just as she had taken the grimoire out of her mother's hiding spot.

"How dare that idiot hunter shoot me? I'll have her head for this!"

"She's scared," another voice came that Morgan didn't recognize. "She'll be on her toes from now on."

"She can't be on her toes if I have them in a jar!" Fear ran up Morgan's spine as her mother's voice came from where the stairs were. Morgan was scared and she rushed to come up with something to do to get out of her mother's war path...but what? It was too late though, the bedroom door rattled on it's hinges as Amara glared down at her daughter causght red handed with the family grimoire.

"You little bitch," she boomed as she materialized in front of Morgan. "What do you think you're doing with my grimoire?"

"It's not your grimoire," Morgan said sheepishly and feigning confidence as she looked in her mother's eyes.

"Like hell it isn't," Morgan was slammed against the wall with a clear three feet between her and the floor. "You think you're so brave because you got this little trip," Amara whispered darkly at her daughter. "You forget who gave you life and who can take it away." Morgan felt the air leave her body as her mother twisted her hand closed the distance between her and her daughter. "What's to stop me from killing you right now? No one would even remember you, I could do it, I can make them forget about you...you pathetic excuse for a witch." Morgan gasped for air as tears started to swell in her eyes, "I never liked you, I wanted to get rid of you but your father -the poor fool- thought it would be nice to start a family. I loved him then, and I listened because who wouldn't do anything for love? But then you were born and I knew what a disappointment you would be! I would wake up screaming because of this disaster I saw you would be. I was so upset at you that I tried to drown you," Amara nodded as tears fell down Morgan's now red face. "They tried to put me away but I was simply too much for them. I should kill you right now, it wouldn't even register to me if suddenly you just up and disappeared." Amara lowered her hand and brought her daughter down to eye level with her, "but I'm going to let you live, because I want you to be there as I kill every single one of those idiots you call your friends." Amara released her daughter and Morgan fell to the ground in tears and regged breaths. "Hey." Morgan looked up at her mom who was picking up the grimoire from where it had fallen. "Tell Scott I'm gonna get him and Stiles," And with that Amara walked out of the room and left her daughter weeping on the floor.

"We're leaving," Morgan heard her mother yell at whoever was downstairs and the door slammed.

The next morning at school they all looked worse for the wear, with all the events that happened yesterday none of them were really up for much chit-chat; Scott was on edge because he had been up for most of the night worrying over what Morgan's mother had said and Stiles had bags under his eyes from trying to talk Scott down; Allison had been up because her mother was tense about something that had happened and kept asking her questions about Scott and her friends; Jackson had been up because he kept seeing everything that Amara's hunters were putting Derek through in his dreams, and Danny looked tired becuase he had been up worrying about everyone and everything that Amara had said. Morgan walked in looking morose and beaten, and slunk pass where the group had been gathered in a exhausted group by Scott's locker and headed straight to her first class.

"What's wrong with Morgan," Scott asked tiredly to Stiles.

"I don't know," he said with a shrug of his shoulders, "and I don't think we should ask."

"Did anyone get any sleep last night," Allison said looking at the group.

"No," Scott answered, "and it doesn't look like Lydia did either. They all looked as the girl walked in wearing another one of her flawless outfits but that's where her appearance ended positively; her face was drawn into a taxed sneer and all color from her face had gone.

"She looks awful," Jackson said as he lazily shouldered her bag.

"You're one to talk," Stiles said attempting some sense of normalcy among the weary group and received conformation when he caught a smile on Danny's lips.

"Shut up, Stilinski, I'll...I'll hurt you," Jackson said but he and everyone else knew that it was a sorry excuse at sounding tough given his state.

"We should just go to class," Danny said looking at Jackson.

"Hey Stiles," Scott said suddenly, turning to his friend, "did you do the homework?" Scott got his answer when Stiles gave him a look that said are-you-freaking-kidding-me-with-this, and he left it alone as they all went to their different classes.

Lydia walked into class and plopped down in the schair across from Scott, Scott who looked over at the pale girl with the dark circles around her eyes and broken unpolished nails.

"Are you okay, Lydia," Scott leaned over as the teacher wrote a math problem on the board.

"Scott," she said not looking over at him, "I really am not in the mood to talk right now...least of all with you."

"Hey, don't get mad at me," Scott said leaning back from the girl. "I'm just trying to let you know that you do have people who care about you."

"Since when have you cared," she asked putting her tongue to her cheek and still not making eye contact with the boy.

"I've always cared Lydia, do you think I'd be talking to you if I didn't care," he squinted her eyes at her as the teacher placed the chalk down and began to talk to the class about distributive properties; Lydia sucked her cheek and opened her notebook, determined to ignore Scott.

The bell rang and Lydia grabbed her bag and made for the door as fast as her tired legs would carry her but Scott was by her side beore she could even get out of the door.

"Lydia," he said pulling his bag close to him as he squeezed past two students who were talking just outside of the door.

"Go away, Scott," she said with annoyance evident in her voice.

"I can't do that," he said walking beside her down the hall. "I need you to understand that you have people here who care for you."

"That's nice," she said with a sigh as she tried to walk away from him but he was by her side before she coulld get any distance between them.

"Lydia, just talk to me for five minutes," he said placing a hand on the girl's arm to stop her but she pulled away from his touch and turned to face him with some semblance of anger behind her green eyes. Scott took a step back and put his hands up in a show on no offense, "five minutes, that's all I'm asking for."

"Fine," she huffed digging through her bag and pulling out a tube of pink lipgloss. "Your five minutes began four minutes ago."

"What," Scott was in a swirl of confusion, "you can't do that."

"I can, and I just did. See you, Scott," Lydia walked away her heels clicking distinctively among the sounds of sneakers screeching in the hall.

Danny walked over to where Scott was looking after Lydia with a dumfounded look on his face, "I'm guessing you couldn't talk to her."

"She...bulldozed over everything I said," he was still looking after Lydia even though she was already gone.

"Yeah," Danny said looking away, "she does that when she really doesn't care for whatever it is you have to say. What did you have to say anyway?"

"I was just trying to tell her that we're still here for her. I mean, I just want her to know that she has people who are willing to help her with what she's going through. Is that such a bad thing to not want to hear," Scott turned to look at Danny. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

Danny blinked at Scott, "umm...okay."

"Well..." Scott started and pulled Danny into the boys bathroom.

"Um Scott..."Danny said pulling back from Scott's grip as the door closed, "I don't usually get pulled into the bathroom by guys."

Scott turned to Danny and shook his head, "I figured, I just want to know something."

"What," Danny was leaning back now with his hands in his pockets watched the nervousness play over Scott's face.

"Remember what happened yesterday? What Morgan's mother said through Jackson...what she said to you and Stiles."

Danny blanched remembering what was said and blunk before he answered, "yeah...I remember."

Scott looked at Danny with eyes urging him to continue, but didn't get a respose because Danny looked anything but ready to talk with Scott about this. "Look...I know it's none of my business what's going on with you but, Stiles is my friend..."

"You want to know what she meant by that," Danny said cutting him off.

Scott gave a small nod, "yeah...I do."

"And like you said, it's none of your business. So just leave it alone, I'm still trying to figure out what I'm feeling for him and I really don't need you in the middle of this. You have your own stuff to worry about and what's going on in my personal life is not that."

Scott nodded, turned away from Danny, and ran a hand through his hair, "you're right...it's none of my business, and I'll leave it alone."

"That's all I'm asking," Danny crossed his arms over his chest. "And don't tell Stiles about any of this, I don't want him to feel weird around me. I don't think this is really something that anyone else should be focused on...not right now at least."

"Fine..." Scott nodded, "fine."

Danny nodded and turned to walk out the door but stopped, and without turning to look at Scott he asked, "are you okay with this? Not that it really matters but, are you?"

"Like you said, it doesn't really matter...but yeah, I am." Danny left the bathroom and didn't have to turn to see the smile on Scott's face. When the door closed Scott's smile stayed on his face as he waited a little before leaving the bathroom after Danny; when the door had closed a stall door opened and Stiles walked out and huffed as he straightened his clothes.

Stiles looked at himself in the bathroom mirror with big smile on his face as he raised an eyebrow and fixed a tie that wasn't there; so I'm attractive to gay guys, he thought to himself. Awesome.

"What's wrong with you," Allison turned to Morgan who was sitting on the floor in front of her locker.

"There's nothing wrong," Morgan said into her book that she held up to her face.

"You're lying," Allison looked at the looked at the cover of Morgan's book since she couldn't see her face. "I've gotten pretty good at telling when someone is lying," she leaned over to the girl.

"And I've gotten really good at ignoring problems," Morgan closed her book and pulled herself up to her feet. "I'm gonna go...and get away from here."

"Talk to me," Allison said getting to her feet and following Morgan who was walking down the hall and away from her.

"Please, leave me alone Allison."

"I can't," Allison ran in front of Morgan who had picked up speed after turning the corner. "You're my friend Morgan, and like it or not you have to talk to people about what's going on with you."

Morgan stopped and bit her lip as she looked away from where Allison was trying to make eye contact with her, "I don't have to talk about anything...I've also gotten pretty good at not talking about my life."

"You know as well as I do that that's not anyway to live," Allison was still trying to make eye contact with Morgan who kept avoiding her eyes and trying to find her way around Allison.

"Yeah? Well it's better to not let myself feel anything than have to talk to someone about everything that happens at home," Morgan had found a way around Allison and took it. Allison's eyes widened and turn to follow Morgan but the girl wasn't there anymore.

"What's happening at home," she asked to no one in the silence of the now empty hallway and dropped her hands at her sides. She backed out the hall before turning and bumping into someone...it was Lydia.

"Hi," she said backing up from how close she was to Lydia.

"Hi Allison," the other girl said with the first smile in a long time to reach her eyes, "I see Scott hasn't changed...at all."

"Yeah, well..." Allison trailed off and moved a piece of hair from her face. "How are you though, are you good?" Allison saw the smile leave Lydia's face ane moved a bit closer lowering her voice, "you know you vsn tell me anything...I promise I'll always be here for you."

"You don't have to whisper, there's no one else in the hall..." Lydia said looking over her shoulder. "Besides, whoever you're hoping won't hear...can." Allison looked at her friend with wide eyes that asked questions that she wasn't prepared to have answered.

"Allison...I want it out."

Allison nodded and took Lydia's hands looking the girl deep in her eyes with the seriousness of the situation, "okay...okay...Alright, I'll help you."

"Okay," Lydia nodded with relief in her eyes "...thank you." Allison watched as the soft light behind the girls' eyes left and a shadiness came across her face. "She may want your help, little hunter," Allison took a step back as what was in Lydia had taken a hold over her, "but you'll have a hard time getting rid of me." The pure unadultered malice that was in the voice that came from Lydia's lips, and the fiery rage that was now behind the soft green eyes of her friend sent ice down her spine and she backed away as that sick smile stretched across Lydia's fair face.

"I'll be seeing you around Allison," and Lydia turned on her heel and left in a flash.

Allison exhaled a breath that she didn't even know she was holding, and ran her fingers through her hair; they had to find a way to help Lydia...and fast.

To be continued...

A/N: I want to apologize if this chapter is hard to follow, I was all over the place in my head while writing this.

Hopefully Chapter 10 will be a bit more lucid...I have an outline that I have to follow for it and the next three chapters are going to be slow coming because there's a lot that has to be tied up. Also, I'm going to try and work in some fluff because they're going to be really heavy on me, heavier than that scene between Morgan and Amara. I want to thank you guys who've kept reading.

Three more chapters you guys and then...I don't know.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize ahead if there are any mistakes in this chapter. I reread, like twice, and edited as I went through but then I also started adding some stuff. Anyway, I feel like this chapter is all over the place because it came to me in short bursts so I fought for it to be at least a little consistent.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy...maybe.

"Are you sure your dad doesn't mind that you're coming with us, Stiles honey," Alana asked as Danny carried some things from Richard's SUV to put in the garage. "I know you don't see your dad much these days."

"No he's okay with it," Stiles was now offering Danny a hand that he didn't need. "He's just happy that I have friends to keep me out the house."

"Aww," Alana touched a hand to her heart, "was it bad...after your mom died I mean?" Danny shot his mom daggers, and Richard gave an exasperated sigh at this being the first thing he hears when he leaves the house.

"It wasn't easy," Stiles said somberly, "but you know, we found a new normal; Dad wanted to take some time off from his work but I wouldn't let him, he's saving lives and that's what mom would have wanted."

"What happened to your mother, if you don't mind me asking," Alana pried.

"Hey mom," Danny spoke up as he closed the trunk, "let's not do that, okay? Let's just...leave it alone."

"What? Was that a faux pas," she asked looking between the two boys; Danny with a serious look on his face that told her that now was not the time to ask questions like that, and Stiles who had downcast eyes as he remembered his mother. "Oh...well I'm sorry Stiles, I didn't mean to, um...I'm sorry."

Stiles nodded sadly as Danny gave his mom a glare that urged her to do something. "So Richard," she said brightly, "you should let me drive."

"No," the man said authoritatively, "you've been drinking again."

"Yeah, but I'm not drunk," she wasn't helping her case.

"Mom," Danny said looking at Stiles, "let dad drive, you know you'll end up on the phone anyway."

Alana looked from her husband to her son and sighed before looking at Stiles, "fine, I can't compete with the men in my life. Que sera sera," and with that she got in the passenger seat and closed the door promptly; Richard looked at his son with peeved sigh and got in the car.

"Do you still want to come with us, my mom gets a bit out of hand when it comes to shopping," Danny whispered to Stiles before getting in the car.

"I don't mind it," Stiles said quietly, "family drama I can deal with."

Scott let himself fall onto his bed in a huff; with everything that was going on he was exhausted; Jackson had asked him to go out and try to find Derek's scent, he was hoping that his connection with the alpha would make it easier to find him, but aside from the nightmares of Derek's torture there was no way that he could find him. Scott knew he should've just gotten up to go help Jackson but he really just did not feel like it; he was drained physically and emotionally, and going out there on a wild goose chase to find Derek just did not seem like something he felt like doing. Pulling himself up a little on the bed he put an arm under his pillow and scrunched his face up into his pillow; what he needed now was sleep. He exhaled and let sleep come to him slowly; just as he ws about to fall asleep his phone rang and he cracked open a tired eye and reached over to look at the screen. He pressed talk and put the phone to his ear with a sigh.

"Are you asleep," Jackson asked into the receiver. He was breathing hard, he had been running around trying in vain to find Derek; he was worried.

"No...no, I wasn't asleep," Scott tiredly breathed into the phone, "where are you?"

"Doing that thing that you should be doing: looking for Derek," Jackson leaned back and rested his head against the cool bark of a pine tree, and breathed in the marshy smell of the brooke that ran through the woods.

Scott scratched his head, "yeah, I know I should be there but...I'm just really tired, and I can barely imagine having to run around for what could be another disappointment. I just don't want to put what little energy I have left into something that won't work out in the end."

"Do you hear yourself," Jackson was aggravated with Scott's apathy towards this whole situation. "This is Derek! I know he's an asshole but he's been there for you more than me and you not being here just seems really insensitive. Do you think that Derek wouldn't be doing everything in his power to find you if you had been captured by some psychopath witch?"

"Yeah, but..." Scott started but was cut off by Jackson.

"No...No, there's no but! You should be here and you know it, but all you're doing is laying around playing with yourself. You need to get your lazy ass up and come help me look for Derek, whether we find him or not. McCall you really need to get your priorities in order; there's a time for rest and there's a time for work, and right now we need to work and look for Derek; he needs us, Scott, and we can't not be there for him."

"Jackson calm down," Scott sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes.

"I don't want to calm down! Everyone's always telling me to calm down but not now! We need Derek here, he's the only one I can think of that can help us and we...really need him here." Scott wasn't sure but he thought he heard a sob escape into the phone. "Scott...can you just get over here and help me?"

"Okay," Scott stood up and pulled a shirt on, "where are you?"

"I'm in the woods by Morgan's house. He was here when he was taken so this was the best place to start looking," Jackson pressed his thumb and forefinger into his eyes, when had he started crying?

"Alright, I'll be right there...um, I'll howl when I'm halfway there," Scott squinted his eyes and shook his head at what he just said. He hung up his phone and pulled on his shoes, "so much for getting some rest."

Jackson pocketed his phone and looked around at the expanse of tall trees; he had to find Derek...he just had to. The smell of pine, the musk of the marsh and the crisp of the cool earth under his feet flooded his nostrils; the sound of birds chirping, and the distant seasonal rumble of cars danced around his ears but he could not find any trace of Derek. He began walking again; how long had he been walking, it felt like minutes but it was hours; he was up early, before the sun had risen and he thanked his wolven eyes for helping his see in the dusk before dawn. When he had got there he thought it would be easy to find Derek, his dreams were intense and he thought that maybe his connection would make finding Derek seem less like a chore and more like picking your cell phone up in the other room, but he was wrong. He had been wandering around for hours now and he still had no trace of Derek; not in scent, sound, or stone, it was as if Derek had been taken clean off the earth. He had even thought of maybe trying to find a trace of the hunters that had been there when Derek was taken but there was nothing...not a thing.

His stomach growled, he couldn't remember when he last ate but that wasn't important; Derek was being shocked and prodded as we speak and he doubted he's getting anything to eat. He couldn't worry about that now, he needed to find Derek, no matter how hungry he was it had to wait. He paused, a howl pierced through the still morning air; Scott was close...to his -he paused and listened again- his right, he started walking in that direction in order to meet Scott halfway.

"You have to make a left dear, there's the Saturday morning traffic of people who are too insane to stay home on the weekend," Alana said jutting her hand to the highway.

"Yes, but if I get on the expressway then I'll have to go past the market before I can get off," Richard was honking his horn at a driver that had missed when the light turned green.

"But you can't stay on the side streets, that'll take longer than just getting on the highway," Alana was now in her phone, her fingers flying over the touchscreen of her iPhone.

"Look at you," Richard said looking over at Alana. "We haven't even gotten anywhere and you're already on your phone."

"Oh hush," Alana pressed send on the text message she had just wrote, "you're just upset because I have friends and you spend too much time at the office."

Richard huffed, "oh please, if those people you talk to are your friends then I don't want any."

"Don't you dare Rich...you missed the highway," Alana leaned back in the chair and her phone pinged again. "Don't you dare talk about the ladies like that."

"Hmph, 'the ladies' she says; some ladies they are, the way they talk about people the way they do," Richard honked the horn again as someone cut him off.

Danny looked over; Stiles had a soft smile on his face that hinted at contentment, and Danny wasn't sure because it was hard to hear over his parents arguing but he thought he heard Stiles humming.

"Are you humming," Danny asked leaning over to Stiles as far as the seat belt would allow him.

"Hmmm? What," Stiles turned from where he had been gazing out the window. "Oh! Yeah, I guess I was."

"And you were smiling," Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah? Wow, I didn't realize I was...I'm just happy, I guess," Stiles offered with a shrug before going back to look out the window. Danny gave the boy a weird look but leaned back to his side of the seat and tapped his fingers along when Stiles started humming again.

Allison took an arrow from it's sheath and pointed her bow towards the ground, she nocked her arrow and pulled the string back until it was taut, pulling her bow up she leveled it with her eyes and exhaled slowly before releasing and letting the arrow fly true to the heart of the target. She smiled to herself and moved a stray piece of hair from her face; she was good and she knew it, but she also knew she wasn't happy; yeah she had Scott and yeah she had friends but this wasn't the life she wanted, she wanted normal.

She took another arrow from her sheath and placed it on the bow and aimed at the target. This isn't normal; coming from a family that hunts werewolves and then ending up dating a wereworlf, this was far from what any of the other girls in her class were doing but here she was, practicing her shot for if the need ever arose to have to actually kill a wolf...or something. She let the string go and the arrow landed in the same spot of the other arrow knocking it slightly to one side, she sighed and let the bow hang loosely at her side, she had to get out of here. She placed her bow back in it's case and went to dig her arrows from the target, she pulled down the target and looked at the small hole she had made in the bark of the tree and sighed again. Where was everyone, she thought to herself, after everything that happened over the last few days and everything that's supposed to happen you'd think they'd be in constant contact with each other but she hadn't heard from anyone since yesterday. She picked up her bag and started walking back to her car.

Jackson walked in the direction of where Scott's howl had come from; he was determined to meet Scott halfway and hopefully make some sense of this situation. He walked along tiredly, consumed in his thoughts, eyes downcast at the forest floor and ears perked for any signs of Scott. There was a rustling to his left and he turned to see a wolfed out Scott standing there and heaving from how fast he had run.

"Well it's nice to see you...I suppose," Jackson said with feigned annoyance but couldn't hide the sadness behind his words. "I haven't gotten anything new to tell you about Derek, and I'm starting to wonder why I even called you out here."

"Well I'm here," Scott walked over to Jackson as his human features started to take over once again. "And there's no reason for you to sound all mopey, we'll find him we just have to relax," Scott closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

Jackson gave the other boy a look that said are-you-serious and sighed, "Scott please, save the Yoda garbage for someone else who doesn't know you're about as smart as a wet napkin. There's no time to relax when we're staring down the barrel of a witch loaded gun."

Scott sucked his teeth and squinted his eyes at Jackson, "you know, for someone who called me crying you aren't really appreciative of me being here. You wanted my help to find Derek, and now that I'm here you're acting like the jerk I know you're not, so just shove this whole wannabee cool boy attitude because I don't care." Jackson gave Scott a look that said everything from go-screw-yourself to I'm-sorry-I'm-acting-like-a-baby but just shook his head and crossed his arms. "I know you, Jackson, and I know that this isn't who you are. I know you're the same guy who was there with us through that whole Peter thing, and I know that you care a lot more than you let on, just be yourself Jackson." Scott looked at Jackson with pleading eyes but the other teen refused to make eye contact with him.

"Listen Scott, I'm sorry I made you come out here...I don't feel like looking for Derek anymore, I just want to get some sleep," Jackson still didn't make eye contact with the boy, instead he looked at the ground with clouded eyes. "I'm gonna go home...you can stay if you want, I just don't feel too up to it right now," Jackson began walking away but stopped when he felt a hand on his arm that turned him around to look at Scott.

"Jackson, I'm sorry, I can't imagine what you're going through. I never liked Peter so there wasn't a loss when we killed him, but you have Derek, and even though he has his faults he's a good guy at heart. This connection you guys have is strong, I can tell that much, and I know that him being gone like this is really hard for you. I didn't mean to hurt you, I just...I don't know. I'm sorry, I really am."

"It's fine," Jackson exhaled, "I know I'm acting like a brat but that's only because I really want Derek here...he's my alpha and I feel incomplete without him here." Scott nodded and let go of Jackson's arm. "So I just want to go home and get some rest," Jackson looked down as his stomach growled and looked up at Scott with abashed eyes, "and something to eat."

Scott nodded again and laughed a little, "fine, go ahead, I'll stay and try to see if I can pick up any signs of Derek." Jackson nodded and walked off into the woods leaving Scott to his lonesome.

"Get ready for the insanity that is my parents when it's time to go shopping," Danny whispered to Stiles after his parents had gotten out of the SUV.

"Given everything that's happened, I think I can take it," Stiles said throwing a smirk at Danny who blinked at the sly look on the other boy's face and stepped out.

"Are you sure, because my mom can get a little out of control when it comes to shopping. One time she tackled a lady for a pair of Manolos."

"And they were the last pair," Alana shouted back to where Danny and Stiles were whispering.

"She also had crazy good hearing."

"Only when someone mentions Manolos, honey." Stiles looked at Alana and then back to Danny and laughed, Danny ducked his head a little but couldn't help but laugh along with Stiles.

They kept walking behind Danny's parents, Stiles slowed down and put hand on Danny's arm to slow him down too. "What's wrong," Danny asked when he turned and saw how nervous Stiles looked.

"Danny, can I ask you something," Stiles looked the other boy in the eye and swallowed a lump that was in his throat.

"Sure Stiles, you know you can ask me anything," Danny said shaking his head. "Of course you can."

"Well," Stiles inhaled and exhaled slowly, "I was there when you told..." Stiles was cut off by Danny's father calling for the boys to catch up.

"Your mom's gone in without me and who knows when she'll resurface, I need you boys to help me look for her," Richard called back to where the boys had slowly started walking while Stiles tried to work up the nerve to say what it was he wanted to ask Danny about. He gave it up though, it would have to wait for another time.

"What did you want to ask me," Danny asked after they had caught up a little with his father but Stiles just shook his head.

"It wasn't important, it can wait," Stiles looked up at Danny with a small smile on his face, Danny gave the boy a look that asked if he was alright but decided not to press. They walked into the mall and into the whoosh of the temperature controlled building.

There was the smell of pretzels and cookies baking, the smell of perfume and the whirr of little devices that excited men and women were selling from little stands in the middle of the floor. Stiles licked his lips as his stomach grumbled for one of those big pretzels but was pulled back when Richard told him and Danny to look for Alana in all the stores on the first floor while he would look on the next one.

"Can't you just call her dad," Danny asked looking around at a few stores he wanted to hit.

"I tried that, but I keep getting sent to voicemail and something's telling me she's holding a conference call with the ladies of her group," Richard looked down at his phone while he pressed call one more time.

"Fine," Danny sounded less than excited to have to spend his day at the mall looking for his mother when all he really wanted to do was spend time with Stiles away from their friends, and maybe talk to him about what's going on with everything on a more comprehensive level. "We'll look around but I don't think she needs to be looked for, she's a grown woman who can handle her own."

Richard gave his son a tested glare, "yeah, and she's also the woman who maxed out a credit card in less that fifteen minutes in one store. Find her." And with that he made his way to the escalators and up to the second floor.

Stiles looked at Danny with an amused look on his face, "is this the kind of crazy you were telling me about?"

Danny sighed, "just help me look for her please." Stiles followed Danny into the first store but still kept a smile on his face.

"I don't think your mom would be in F.Y.E., Danny," Stils said as they walked into the record store and came face to face with a lifesized cut out of Justin Bieber.

"My mom likes music same as you," Danny said picking up an album from the new releases rack, "and it doesn't hurt that I'm looking for some new music anyway."

"But all of this is so...What happened to just getting the digital album," Stiles asked as he looked around the relatively empty store even though the mall was crowded today.

"I like to have the CD," Danny said placing the album he was looking at back. "Plus, record stores are a dying treasure."

"Aren't you all techy, I mean you can't have space for the amount of albums you have on your playlist," Stiles picked up a CD and looked at it, flipping it over in his hand.

"I do..well on my computer I do. All those albums you saw were either from family or friends, but my real treasures are in storage where they'll be safe," finding an album he liked Danny walked over to another rack. "I'm just not a fan of the whole digital movement when it comes to music, I feel like we lose the soul of an album when you can't have the experience of taking it out of it's case or it's jacket and putting it on. I might be romancing the music right now but that's just how I am."

Stiles nodded with raised eyebrows at what Danny had said, he understood completely where he was coming from and his passion on the matter was refreshing to say the least. "So Danny," Stiles pressed on as the other teen moved to a different rack with his chin resting on his fingers, "what else do you feel strongly about?"

Danny turned to look at Stiles from where he was bent over reading the labels of the CDs, "I don't like that my mom drinks as much as she does." He straightened up and sighed, "she's not an alcoholic but she does drink whenever she can. And it's not like she gets out of control or anything, she just gets a bit chatty and starts to say things that she really shouldn't."

"Does it bother you that much that your mother drinks like that," Stiles asked taking a step forward with concerned eyes trained on Danny.

"No, not really, it's just I'd rather her put the glass down every now and then," Danny looked down and began walking over to the counter.

"Then you should tell her," Stiles said keeping pace with Danny. "She loves you, I can tell by how well she treats you and the freedom she gives you. I think you owe it to yourself and to her to let her know that her drinking the way she does bothers you."

Danny placed the CD he had picked up on the counter and dug a hand in his pocket pulling out a twenty to hand to the cashier. "Stiles, I just don't want to bother her with this. I know she drinks to help with her being in the social sphere and that a lot of the times she ends up having a few drinks with her Ladies Who Lunch, but she never gets out of hand she just gets chatty, and I don't think that's a bad thing compared to how it coud be." Danny nodded his thanks to the woman behind the counter and picked up his blue bag.

Stiles followed Danny out of the store and came face to face with his mother; Alana turned to look at the two boys and the six bags she had on her arms swung when she turned. Her face lit up and a smile stretched across her face as she squealed, "Danny, Stiles! Where have you boys been? I've picked you both up some things that I think you'd like," she riffled through one of her bags and picked out a pink shirt and thrust it at Danny. "Oh honey! You would look perfect in this! And I picked you up something too Stiles," she picked up a similar shirt to Danny's except this one had a small flower on the bottom left by the hem. "I know it looks a bit garish but I thought you guys would look lovely in these. Danny you always look so good in pink and it makes me want to pinch your little cheeks. And Stiles honey, I figured you would look good in purple because of your fair skin but now that I hold it up to you...I'm having second thoughts. No problem, we'll just take it back, no big deal," she began walking back the way she came her heels inexplicably clinking on the carpeted floor.

"Is this what you meant by her getting chatty," Stiles asked nervously as they followed the woman turned whirlwind.

"Yeah, but I think she's just running on a vodka martini with a RedBull back. We better make sure we keep up with her, she has a couple credit cards stashed on her person." Danny looked at Stiles and grabbed the boy's had to pull him through the crowd and after his mother.

Stiles looked up at where Danny had turned to him and was pulling him after his mother as more people started to pour in through the mall entrance, and looked down at the tight grip he had on his hand. When had it gotten hot in here? Stiles let himself get pulled by Danny and into the store that his mother had just disappeared into; it was a little boutique out of the way of the crowds but the windows were full of mannequins wearing fabulous clothing that was a bit too posh for Stiles' liking. When Danny finally let go of his hand they were standing on a ridiculously shiny floor and the air was crisp with the scent of the flowers; the store looked relatively empy compared to the windows and only a few items could actually be seen on the floor. Stiles saw where Alana had gotten the shirts she had picked out for him and Danny and chuckled softly to himself, he walked over to check the tag of the purple shirt that was on the rack and audibly gulped.

Danny walked over to where Stiles still had the tag for the shirt in his hand and put a hand on his shoulder causing Stiles to look up at him, "I told you, my mom gets a little crazy. We just have to make sure she returns most of the stuff she bought."

"But that's almost $5OO dollars for a shirt. A shirt, Danny, do you know what I could do with that kind of money," Stiles said gesturing a little and making sure he kept his voice low, this didn't seem like the type of store that you raised your voice in no matter how overpriced the clothing was.

Danny laughed lightly at Stiles' reaction, "I know, but my parents work hard for their money, I just try to rein it in when they get a little out of control with it."

"Like now," Stiles asked pointing to where Alana was walking up to the counter where a pile of clothing was being bagged while she dug through her handbag for her wallet. Danny turned and saw his mother hand over the black card to the man behind the counter and ran over to take it from her but she pulled away before he could get to it.

"Mom," he pleaded, "you can't keep spending money like this. It's just not rational."

"Oh poo! Who cares about rational when it's Michael Kors," she said and handed the card over to the man behind the counter.

"Don't you swipe that card!"

They all turned to see Richard walk into the store and Stiles heard Danny's sigh from where he was still standing by the rediculously expensive shirts.

"She's not getting any of it," Richard said walking up to the man behind the counter.

"Oh Richard please," Alana said dismissively. "Go ahead and swipe it, dear."

"Hand over the card, son," Richard said to the man behind the counter who couldn't have been older that 25 and still had the fresh face of a college student hopeful of the economy. The poor boy looked confused to say the least as he went from staring at the stern face of the man in front of him and the eyes of the woman who was urging him to swipe the card.

"Just hand the card back," Stiles heard Danny say quietly to the man. The poor guy looked at Danny with eyes that pleaded for help. "She doesn't need it anyway, and you'll be helping her in the long run if you did," Danny gave the man a puppy dog look that Stiles had never seen before and the guy melted, he handed the card back to Richard and began to take the items out of the bags. Danny sighed and Richard seemed to shrink back a little, but Alana huffed clearly upset at what just happened.

"Thank you son, she'll be fine" Richard said to the man behind the counter and began to usher a fuming Alana out of the store.

"So is that the crazy you were talking about," Stiles whispered walking over to Danny and out of the store with his parents.

"Yeah, but this was a good day for her. I think it's because we have company that she didn't act like she usually would," Danny looked down at Stiles and nudged his shoulder with his. "I think I should keep you around more often," he said but then gulped back realizing how it sounded, a flush of red ghosting over his cheeks.

Stiles looked up and raised an eyebrow at Danny, flashing back to the conversation he over heard between Scott and Danny in the boys' bathroom the other day. "Danny, remember earlier, when I had wanted to ask you something?"

Danny looked over from where he had taken a step away from Stiles but were still in step while they followed his parents, "yeah, what did you want to know?"

"Um...can we, I don't know, talk in private somewhere," Stiles didn't understand why he was nervous again, it's not like he hadn't asked Danny way more random questions than this...not that this was random or anything. He thought he had better ask him again after hearing Danny say that he did feel something for Stiles to Scott, which by the way, he didn't understand why Scott hadn't known he was there.

"Uh sure..." Danny gave Stiles a weird look but pushed it aside. "Hey dad," he called over to where his parents were walking a few paces ahead of them, his father looked over the shoulder of the arm he had draped around his wife, "Stiles and I are gonna go look at a few stores, we'll meet you at the food court okay?" His father just waved a hand and continued to whisper in Alana's ears who pressed into him as they walked. "Well," Danny said looking over to Stiles, "where would you like to go?"

Morgan wandered through the occult section of the public library and scoffed as she ran her finger along the spines of the books on the shelves. She'd read most of these and knew some of the authors but she couldn't get rid of the bitter taste in her mouth that this all may be for naught. She knew all of this; she knew the truth from the fiction and the facts from the lies and still she knew that she didn't know anything. She couldn't hold a candle to her mother, that doubt had already set in, but the worry over all the people that now relied on her was heavier than anything she could imagine. She stopped and looked at a book on demonology, she hadn't seen it before but she recognized the name. She picked it up and flipped through it, she had gotten really good at scanning, it's kind of an important skill to have when you have to gather knowledge from several different books in a short amount of time. She closed it and put it back on the shelf, it was the same garbage she had read countless times before just reworded. What happened to originality, witchcraft is all about taking something that someone else has made and making it your own, and creating something when you can't find what you need. It's all about customization, but with the new age wave that's stricken society, that's slowly going out the window.

"Morgan, dear?"

She looked up and met the eyes of the librarian, a rickety old stitch of a woman but her fingers were strong and nimble, her hands sure and lithe. The woman greeted Morgan with a smile behind her thick rimmed glasses and messy hair, the wrinkles of her face growing taught as she reached out and patted Morgan's hand. "How have you been dear, it's been a while since I last saw you. Is everything alright," the woman asked with concerned eyes but she kept that smile.

"Oh Mrs. Shoemaker, I'm fine, thank you," Morgan gave the woman a smile that she hoped was sincere.

"Oh come now, I think I know when something's wrong with one of my favorite visitors," the woman gave Morgan a look over the rim of her glasses that warned against any lie that she could muster.

Sighing, Morgan let her shoulders fall as she clasped the woman's hands, "I'm just...preoccupied."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with that mother of yours would it? You know I don't like her...which is saying something seeing as how long you've been here."

Morgan smiled as her eyes fell to the ground, "it actually is about her. I don't know what to do, she's just...a lot."

"Now now," the woman's voice was warm and reassuring as she led Morgan to one of the tables by the window. "You know I've got nothing but time here. Everyone's gone digital with these damn ebooks," she looked around at the empty library, save for a man in the distant corner with a pile of law books. "So come now, tell me what's wrong...I'm a really good listener."

"Say something," Lydia looked across the hotel room at her mother who was busying herself with her needlepoint of a cat by the windows that opened to a bare sky. She was ragged and worn from not sleeping, she had been too busy worrying about her mother who came back upstairs at almost five in the morning. "Say something to me," she yelled again, she knows that this wouldn't help anything but she knew she had been heard when her mother missed a stitch and cussed under her breath.

"I have nothing to say to you," her mother's voice was calm and cool as she worked over the messed up stitch. Lydia breathed deeply as the sting of her mother's words hit her, it's one thing to have a parent disappointed in you but to have them not want to say anything at all to you is something she never thought she'd have to feel.

"Fine," Lydia said pulling herself up and squaring her chin with the floor, "I'll leave." She picked up the small luggade that she had brought with her and began to walk around the room gathering the few things she had and making it obvious that she wanted her mother to ask her to stay. "Well," she said looking at her mother who was still busying herself with her needlepoint and not making eye contact with her and dropped her bag on the floor a little fed up, "aren't you going to stop me?" Her mother just kept on going with her needlepoint. "Fine," Lydia said picking her bag off the floor, "I'm leaving." Lydia swung her bag over her shoulder and made her way to the door before her mother spoke up.

"Lydia get back here," Mrs. Martin placed her needlepoint down on her lap and looked at her sad, tired daughter, "you're not going anywhere and you know it."

"Yes I am," Lydia moved her now dull hair behind her shoulder and turned to face her mother.

"You don't have anywhere to go, and who'd take you in looking like that," Mrs. Martin gestured to her daughter standing up and pressed her skirt straight. "Put your bag down and take a nap, you're tired."

"I am not," Lydia stiffled a yawn, she knew she sounded like a little kid right now but she was upset and she just wanted to talk to someone and it was like everyone wanted nothing to do with her."I'm very awake, I had three cups of coffee."

"You don't drink coffee, Lydia," her mother took her glasses off and ropped them on the chair with her needlepoint.

"I did this morning while I sat up and worried about you." Lydia's eyes fell and she let the bag fall from her shoulder to the floor, "I'm sorry, mom, I don't know what happened. I don't know how any of this happened." Mrs. Martin walked over to her daughter as a tear fell from Lydia's face. Lydia looked up at her mother with tears swelling in her eyes, "I'm so tired. I haven't gotten a good sleep since the fire and it's like all of my friends are scared of me and I'm fighting...I'm fighting with myself all the time now. I don't want to fight anymore, mom. What happened last night, mom, I'm sorry."

Lydia let herself fall into her mother once she felt her warm arms around her, she really was tired; tired of fighting this thing inside of her, and tired of fighting a battle for friends who were fighting against her. She didn't know when she had started crying but her mother's blouse was soaked, her mother did nothing but stroke her hair and let her cry, cooing soothing words into her ear.

"So Danny," Stiles said once they had found a place in the quiet part of the mall by one of the less frequently used back entrances, "I uh...umm...I..." Danny never looked away from Stiles, he could tell something was on his mind and he wasn't going to push for him to get it out. "How are you doing," he didn't know when he had lost his nerve, or if he had ever had any, but he couldn't bring himself to ask the question he already knew the answer to.

"Stiles that's not what you really wanted to ask me, is it," Danny asked turning himself a bit more towards Stiles.

"Yes," he lied, "that's all I wanted to ask you." Stop lying Stiles, he thought to himself, this is one time when you shouldn't lie...least of all to Danny.

"Well you're lying, but I'm fine. How are you?"

Stiles' eyes widened and he had to admit that he was a little impressed at how quickly Danny could pick up when he was lying, it took Scott almost a year, Derek had the wolf ears and Morgan caught him on it the first time. "Oh you know, just dealing with crazed witches and a possessed teenage girl, no big deal," Stiles shrugged it off relieved at where this change of topic could lead them.

"Yeah," Danny laughed, "I hear that, not to mention a severly bitchy Jackson." That got Stiles to laugh and for the first time, for as long as he and Stiles had started to work on a friendship, Danny looked at Stiles and thought the boy might actually be okay despite everything he's been through.

"Yeah," Stiles said coming down from the high of his laugh and letting his eyes fall to the floor. "I'm just worried...about everything," Stiles breathed out, his shoulders suddenly felt tight. "I just feel like at any given moment something will go wrong, because it usually does, and then we'll end up at the hands of a crazy killer witch and a possessed omega. And now that Derek's been captured I feel for sure that something is going to go terribly wrong and I'm really just worried about all of you guys. When we had to deal with Peter before it was easier because, we had everyone we needed. People were there but now, important people are either missing or being controlled and I don't know what to do about it. And I'm scared," Stiles breathed heavily at the end of his spiel and looked aroud because he was sure someone would've overheard him.

"Stiles," Danny said leaning in a little, "you need to not worry so much. I know that things are really crazy right and yes, important people are out of the picture right now but you have to understand that you're not alone in this. There are people around you who care for you a lot and would never leave you alone, no matter how alone you feel, because they want the best for and at the end of the day they'd do anything to prove to you that you are not alone. Danny reached over and grabbed Stiles' hand., "so don't worry too much, you don't have to feel like you're carrying this all by yourself, because I can promise that as long as I can I'm going to be right here by your side until you decide that you don't want me here anymore."

Stiles looked down at where Danny was holding his hand and gulped a little, "umm Danny?"

Danny didn't realize that he had grabbed Stiles' hand, or when he had gotten so close to Stiles that their thighs were toucjing, but he pulled away and rubbed his palms on his jeans. "Umm...sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's fine," Stiles said cutting Danny off, "you don't have to apologize. And thank you, for being here I mean, it's good to know that I have people who care for me and than you for this," Stiles gestured loosely to the space around them, "it's always good to have a few moments when witches and wolves aren't running my life."

Danny gave a nervous laugh and stood up, "it's no problem...you have a way of making people want to be there for you. And I guess I just...I don't know." Stiles looked at Danny with eyes that wanted him to say exactly what he was thinking but wouldn't. "We should, um, probably get back," Danny said not making eye contact with Stiles. "I'm a little hungry, and judging my how your stomach is growling I'm guessing you are too."

Stiles looked down at his stomach and laughed a little, "I'm always hungry, but okay let's go."

"So who's this woman that you mentioned, this priestess of yours, can she help," the old woman asked folding her hands in her lap.

"Yeah, but she's the one that sent me here," Morgan shook her head and leaned back a little in her chair, her shoulders slumping a little. "I don't really think me asking her here for help with a test she sent me on is going to help me further myself," Morgan looked from the wrinkled face of the woman down at her hands in her lap. "And I don't want her to think I'm a failure because I can't handle this."

"Well see right there, you just admitted to yourself that you can't handle this, so why can't you just swallow your pride and ask her for help? It sounds like everyone else thinks it'll be a good idea, and you are here to protect them anyway, so why not let her help you?" The woman crossed her ankles and moved a little forward in her chair, "listen, I know what it feels like to be in over your head, but I also know when it's time to ask for help. And even though most people won't admit it, to themselves or anyone else, there's a quiet dignity when you know your limits and have to ask for help. I don't think your priestess would mind if told her what was going on and just asked for help."

Morgan shook her head and looked out the window concern and sadness etched across her face, "she's my mother though, and me asking the priestess here with all of the wrong my mother's done is basically signing her death warrant. I can't do that to her, yeah she is a royal bitch -excuse my language- she's still my mother and on some level I care for her and on some darker my reclusive lever I know she cares for me."

"Well then you're going to have to choose what it is you want to do; you can save the lives of your friends and countless others, or you can save the life of your mother and risk a whole town of innocent people, the choice is up to you," Mrs. Shoemaker got up and straighted out her skirt as she picked up some books that were sitting on the desk next to them to reshelve.

"Mrs. Shoemaker," Morgan said looking up and the older woman, "am I going to regret what I have to do?"

Mrs. Shoemaker gave the girl a warm smile the stretched the wrinkles on her face and the sun glinted off of the lenses of her glasses, "that's up to you, dear, but I trust that you'll do the right thing when the time comes. You're a smart girl, you give yourself far less credit than you deserve, and if these kids are willing to trust you then maybe you should trust yourself." Morgan watched as Mrs. Shoemaker walked off and disappeared behind a tall shelf lined with self help books. Sighing to herself she looked out the window again and rested her chin on her hand as the sun started to set across the skies of Beacon Hills. This was another day down and another night closer to facing her mother. And another hour closer to her vision coming true, she swallowed and wiped a tear from her eye with the sleeve of her sweater, she knew what she had to do.

Jackson looked up from where he had been lost in his thoughts at the darkening sky. The canopies of the trees had made it seem darker than it was but he was sure that it couldn't have been that late, he couldn't have been walking around the woods for that long...could he? He checked his watch and had to rub his eyes, he was sure it was just ten a.m. Where had the time gone? He looked around and picked a path back to his car...had he taken his car? He couldn't remember if he had taken his car and he couldn't remember if he had slept last night. He kept walking anyway to where he thought he would have parked his car if he had brought it. There was something different about the forest, maybe it was his wolf but he was more aware of the still of the air and the slow rising click of the night insects.

The regular hum of the forest life now seemed a bit more hohum, and he wasn't sure but he thought he could feel this ache deep in the pit of his stomach. Something felt wrong about everthing now; he had half a mind to call Scott but decided against it, he wanted to be alone for a bit. Besides, Scott and his uncouthed sense of justice was not something he wanted to have to deal with, not now.

He had lost his alpha, the only person in his life that he actually had to please was gone, and he was alone now. Yeah sure, he had Danny and Scott and the rest of them but they weren't Derek, they weren't his alpha. He had felt lost before -what with him not knowing his birth parents and all- but this was different, he had known Derek. He had connected with Derek, and even though he wasn't the warmest guy out there he brought some meaning back into Jackson's life and for that he felt like he owed the man something. He dragged his feet along and came to the clearing where his car had ought to have been and sighed, it wasn't there. He sighed again and remembered that in his fit of worry he had ran all the way to Morgan's house from his own, if there was ever a time he need the wolf it was now.

He rolled his shoulder and cracked his neck, here we go, he was going to call the wolf. He took a deep breath and started to call the wolf forward, Derek hadn't taught him much but following what happened at school with Scott he taught him how to control the wolf. He called the wolf forward and felt the exhaustion fall from his shoulders as if a the covers had been yanked off of him in bed. He looked at his fingernails that were now long and curved a bit, he felt his ears stretched and he felt the low ache as his k9s lengthened and sharped. He reared back and let out a howl that he knew Scott would hear and lowered to the ground in a crouch. His ears caught the pitch of a sky bird in the distance and the smell of the bakery over on Maple street wafted to his nose. He got into a runner's stance and took off in the direction of his home, intent to get there in time for the beef stew he could smell his mother cooking.

He jumped over the brooke and dashed across the field where a lot of the kids in school liked to throw parties in during the summer and ducked back into the thick of the woods. He stopped short when the wolf caught a trace of a familiar scent. He breathed deep trying to gather where it was he had smelled the scent before, his eyes searching in the dim light that filtered through the trees. The wolf began to follow it, it was leading him away from his familiar part of town but he didn't care, curiousity had caught the best of him and now he was following the scent at a full sprint deep into the woods. The world flashed by him in a blur of red and black but all he could focus on was the scent. It was so familiar and it bugged him that he couldn't place it. He was getting closer and he ran faster, the smell was getting stronger, he skidded to a stop behind a tree and looked at where the scent had been coming from. It was a woman, a tall woman, and she was with another woman and a man with gray hair. Something about her seemed so familiar but before he could get the nerve to do anything a small woman ran up to the three of them. She was carrying a gun on her belt and she wore the same kind of clothes that Allison's aunt had worn, his eyes widened as he realized that these people in front of him were hunters. The small woman spoke to them, it was hushed but he could hear.

"Amanda," Joanna said from where she had been kneeling down over a bag of menacing looking weapons, "I'd say it's nice to see you again but then I'd be lying."

"Calm down, Joanna," Aidyn said walking over and taking Amanda's hand. "How are you today Amanda, did you have a tough time getting away from your madam?"

"No," Amanda shook her head as she lookd down and moved a piece of hair from her face. "She was preoccupied with worrying about the witch and some confrontation they had had the other night." Aidyn looked over at Rebecca and nodded his head.

"Amanda," Rebecca said in a calm voice walking over to the girl, "is she okay, Victoria I mean?"

"Yeah, she's fine, you know she's tough as nails," Amanda turned to look at the woman with her dark red hair and her pale skin, Amanda couldn't help but think that she looked a bit like a doll she had seen once in an antique shop. "And she mentioned something about shooting the witch, but she was mostly talking to her husband about the whole thing. I'm not one to eavesdrop." Amanda didn't see it but Joanna rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.

"Well," Rebecca said looking at Amanda with a warm smile, " as long as she's fine."

"So she shot the witch," Joanna said impressed standing up and stepping over the bag of weapons. "Victoria was always a fighter, and to think, I thought her getting married and having a kid would have slowed her down," Joanna corssed her arms over he chest causing her leather jacket to squeak a little. "But then again she did marry Chris, who had that Kate for a sister, so I don't know why I thought her fight would leave her."

"Yes well," Aidyn said looking at Amanda with a smile, he haden't bothered to turn to look at Joanna as she spoke, "it looks like she hasn't changed all that much. Did you get a chance to speak to her?"

"No, she hasn't really spoken to any of us lately, and I don't think it would be proper to interrupt her when she's obviously worried about something." Amanda pulled her hands away from Aidyn and began to fidget nervously, she wasn't too comfortable being around the member's of the counsel. They intimidated her a bit with their intense eyes and serious disposition.

"She's worried," Rebecca asked cocking her head to the side as she looked at Amanda, "what could she be worried about?"

"Well apparently this witch has big plans for Beacon Hills and she doesn't care who gets in her way. She's already captured the alpha and from what I gather, she's after the younger beta. There are rumors with the other hunters that something big is about to happen and that no matter what we do we won't really matter at the end. But I try not to listen to it, it all sounds a bit too fantastical and I don't think having a negative attitude is going to help anyone at this point."

"This is no such talk for any of our hunters," Aidyn said in an authoritative tone. "We'll be able to handle this witch, and if she has plans on hurting innocents then we have no choice but to do whatever it takes to ensure she's stopped." Amanda nodded, Aidyn was the head of the counsel and anything he said was almost law. Yes, the Argent family had been the first hunters but once the counsel had been created it had become more of a republic, there were laws and rules set to make sure everyone was on the same page. Yes, there were the few who broke the code and went rogue but they were usually dealt with swiftly once their indiscretions had been found out.

"Amanda, thank you," Rebecca said with that same warm smile as she looked away from Aidyn. "Take care of yourself, and please, keep an eye out for Victoria for me." Amanda nodded and bowed slightly before stepping away from the three members of the counsel and walked off in the direction of where she had parked her car.

Rebecca watched the young huntress disappear into the woods but it was Joanna who spoke up, "it's a shame we'll have to kill her."

Aidyn turned back to where he had been busying himself with a crossbow and said with no interest, "we're not going to kill her, Joanna. I like her, and even though you can't see it, there's a fire in that girl."

"What," Joanna whined looking between Aidyn and Rebecca as she put a knife in her belt.

"He's right, Joanna," Rebecca was still watching where the girl had walked off even though she couldn't see her anymore. "She does have a fire in her eyes, it's low, but it's there."

"In fact, she reminds me a bit of you when you were younger," Aidyn said looking at Joanna with a smile.

"Ugh! Don't even, I was not that naive when I started out. She can barely hold a rifle," Joanna gestured in the vague direction of where Amanda had walked off with another knife before she place it in her belt.

"Not unlike you," Aidyn said as he loaded the bag into the back of the black SUV. "Don't think we haven't noticed that you prefer knives to rifles." Rebecca gave a breathy laugh as Aidyn tossed the keys to her, and Joanna glared at both of them. "Come on Joanna," Aidyn said laughing lightly to himself, " we've got to go."

Joanna huffed to herself and climbed in the back of the SUV, "next time we stop I want to sit in the front."

"Sure, we'll see," Aidyn laughed again as Rebecca turned and drove down the small path they had created through the trees.

Jackson pressed himself against the tree as the SUV drove past him. His wolf features had gone away while he was watching the hunters' conversation. When he was sure that the hunters wouldn't see him he walked into the clearing and looked after where the car had just pulled off. The familiar scent still hung heavily in the air and he was sure it had come from the woman with the knives. He didn't know why he had come all the way out here and now he was farther away from home than he had been before, he called the wolf out again and ran off in the direction of home as new questions found their way into his train of thought.

Allison pulled into the driveway of her home and parked behind her father's SUV. All the windows of the house were lit up and she sighed getting out of the car; she'd been gone all day and she was sure her mother would have something to say about it. She put her key in the lock but the door was pulled open and she looked up at her father, he caught her eye and put a finger to his lip telling her to be quiet. Her mother's voice came from the kitchen, she was on the phone.

"She's talking to some members of the counsel, apparently they thought they actually had to send some people down here." Allison looked up at her father but couldn't ask any questions because her mother walked into the foyer talking animatedly on the phone.

"I don't care! It's disrespectful for you to just send them down here! My family is here, we live here, you have to confer with us before anything happens over here...what...you sent who...No, that doesn't change anything." Allison saw the change in the expression on her mother's face but her voice was still as sure as ever. "I'll deal with this my way, you just need to make sure that Aidyn and the other two don't get in my way," Victoria hung up the phone and threw it across the room.

"They sent Aidyn," Mr. Argent asked looking over at his wife, Allison was sure she heard a waver in his voice but she wasn't too sure.

"Yeah, him and his other two cohorts, what are their names? Rebecca and Joanna," Voctoria rubbed to temples as she walked across the room and plopped herself down on the couch. She didn't need this right now; she didn't need Aidyn and his entitled attitude or Joanna and her quick fingers when it comes to her knives. And even though she missed her dear friend, she did not want to see Rebecca right now, not with everything that's going on under her family's watch.

"Who's Aidyn," Allison asked unsuredly.

"He's the head of the counsel, and Rebecca and Joanna are his left and right hand. They've been after us since the counsel was formed and now they're here to usurp our hold on Beacon County," Mr. Argent looked down at his daughter before walking over to kneel in front of his wife. "Victoria, we don't have to worry about them. They may be the counsel but we hold the monopoly on the hunters who are here."

"And how are you so sure that they don't already have someone on the inside? They're sneaky like that Chris, Aidyn isn't going to be here without having someone to watch us," she leaned her head back on the couch and closed her eyes. "Why did they have to send them? You know, I bet they caught wind of that girl...the omega, but I'm sure they weren't expecting this witch...I'm sure they weren't."

"Can't you just...I don't know, question everyone and see if any of them know anything," Allison asked from where she was leaning on the frame of the doorway into the living room. Watching her mother in despair like this she flashed back to when she had told Kate that she didn't want to feel helpless anymore, but this time it was different, she knew she could do something."

"It's not that simple, they'll be aware of what's happening and what could happen to them if they disclosed any information about me," Victoria didn't open her eyes as she spoke to her daughter.

"And even if they did answer, they'd have protection by the counsel against anything we could decide to do about them," Chris looked over at Allison as he rubbed small circles on Victoria's thighs with his thumbs.

"That doesn't sound fair," Allison said walking over to sit on the arm of the couch.

"There's no fair or unfair when dealing with the counsel," Victoria opened her eyes to look at her daughter. "There's only just and unjust."

Allison started to form a plan, if her family couldn't do anything about the Counsel being here then she would. She wasn't going to sit around helpless while her family ws being threatened by some people who didn't know anything about them. Her parents may have had to be under the thumb of the Counsel but she could get around it, she'd find some way to make sure that her family was kept safe no matter ehat she had to do.

Scott made his way home, tired and sore from having been out all day and from his general lack of sleep lately. He had ran most of the way but now he was just too exhausted to even think about running. He took out his phone and went to call Stiles but stopped when he remembered that he and Danny were spending the day with Danny's parents. Stiles wouldn't have his Jeep and it might be a little rude to call and expect them to drop everything to pick him up. He wanted to call Allison but thought better of it, she might be just as tired as he is and asking her to pick him up would look really selfish, so instead he trudged on dragging his feet. When had he started to count on others so much? Had he always counted on people like this...no, he couldn't have, it wasn't until lately that he had friends that weren't Stiles. Stiles...had he counted on Stiles this much? Yeah, he was the only one he really counted on when he found out he was a wolf but who else could he have turned to? Derek seemed a little too psychotic to want to trust but he was there too, but it was Stiles who was always really there.

He had found his way back to the road and decided to follow it the rest of the way home, but he kept thinking about what happened back with Peter. Stiles had always had his back and he knew as much about werewolves as Scott did. Stiles did all the research and came up with ways to help him even, and all Scott had did was complain about not wanting to be a werewolf and whine over wanting to spend time with Allison.

He shook his head, he had to get rid of these thoughts and focus more on the problems at hand; namely Amara and the fact that she had Derek and was coming for him. He looked up in time to miss a car that was driving too close to the shoulder of the road. He was fast to get out of the way but he wasn't fast enough. It clipped his shoulder and he felt the bone get knocked out of it's socket. He fell to the ground in a howl of pain as the car skidded to a stop. He looked over from where he had rolled into the brush to see two hunters step out of the car. He scrambled to get to his feet but a flash arrow landed inches from his face and knocked him delirious. He got up and hoped to make what he thought was an escape but that dream, was crushed when he felt an aconite bullet find purchase in his shin.

"That was easy," he heard a male hunter say.

"Yeah, it's almost insulting that she sent us," this was a woman's voice. "Let's just get him in the back of the car...wait," the female hunter walked over and emptied a syringe into the space between his arm and shoulder. "That should slow down his healing and it'll knock him out too," the woman turned him over on his back but he couldn't see anything because the world had turned in to a gray amorphous blob and he passed out just as the man started to drag him over to the car.

Derek lifted his head and sniffed...it was Scott. He turned his head towards the door just as they swung open and Scott was tossed to the floor in a heap at Amara's feet.

"Well," she said looking down from where she had been expecting the bandage on her arm, "I didn't expect you to pick him up so easily."

"He's a beta, and an unexperienced beta at that, it was like picking up a sack of potatoes," the male hunter said giving Scott a kick.

"Yeah, he was just walking around all in the open. Poor thing, I almost feel bad for hitting him with the car...almost," she laughed and looked over at the male hunter who had a smirk on his face.

"Well he's here. Put him up on the wall with the other one, I want to look at my puppies," Amara waved a newly manicured hand over her shoulder to where Derek was hung up on the wall of wires.

Two of the men who had been standing guard by the door walked over and hung a very limp Scott on the wall in the shackles that were next to Derek.

"What did you do to him," Derek asked from his aconite induced haze.

"Oh nothing...just a bullet to the shin and some wolfsbane directly to the bloodstream," one of the hunters said answering Derek's question.

"Don't talk to him," Amara gave the hunter who spoke up a glare. "You've done your part, you can go."

"What about of monetary compensation," the male hunter spoke up.

"The only compensation you're getting is to keep your life. I'll pretect you from your madam, that was the only thing we agreed upon," Amara got up and walked over to Scott and ripped his shirt off. "And if I were you, I'd be careful from now on, there are members here from your counsel and I don't think they'd like it too much if they found out about your underhanded side projects." Amara started to place electrodes on Scott's bare chest and she admired his face, "you really are pretty."

"What about the boy's mother, she's going to be looking for him," the female hunter spoke up remembering that this kid isn't Derek, he has a family.

"Don't you worry about her, she'll be dealt with in due time," she lifted Scott's face and turned it side to side, "I see why that Argent girl fell for you."

"You're despicable," Derek spat at her, "I swear to God, once I get down from here I'm going to slit your throat."

"Don't make me any promises, baby," she had that sick grin of her's again. "It would be almost poetic if you did, don't you think, seeing as how that's how your uncle killed Kate...but I'm not as stupid as she was." Derek glared at her and went to lunge but she just held up a finger at him. "Those pretty little eyes of yours don't scare me, you're just a grouchy little puppy to me and no matter how much you growl or snap you won't affect me." Derek glared at her and went to speak but stopped when Scott started to come to.

"There...there are people looking for us," they looked over as Scott started to come out of his haze.

"Who? My daughter," Amara scoffed, "yeah right, she's such a threat."

"You roll your eyes, but she's an amazing person at her core," Scott said tiredly in defiance of Amara's sarcasm,

"At her core she's a coward who can't stand up for herself. I feel sorry for you and your little friends for putting so much faith in her," Amara stepped closer to Scott. "And if anyone ever did come looking for you it'll be to their death."

"When they come looking for us," Scott looked Amara right in the eyes as he said this, "it'll be you who ends up dead."

"Um, thanks for letting me hang out with your family today," Stiles said to Danny from where they were standing on his porch. "It was nice to not have to worry about crazy witches and lost werewolves for a few hours."

"Yeah," Danny said ducking his head slightly and rubbing his neck a little, "I'm just happy that you aren't tired of my family yet."

"Nah, don't be silly...there's always tomorrow," Stiles laughed nervously to himself but relaxed when he saw Danny was laughing as well.

"Well, I guess you're going home now," Danny looked over to where Sheriff Stilinski's cruiser was in the driveway behind Stiles' Jeep.

"Yeah," Stiles looked back at his house, "I should go check on dad, it's been a while since we had an actual conversation anyway."

Danny nodded, "well I hate to ruin the moment but, you know that we're going to have to deal with...everything, at some point."

"And I hate that you ruined the moment too but, you're right...we'll have to," Stiles shoved his fists in his pockets. "Listen, I wanted to say this earlier but I kind of chickened out," he took in a deep breath and looked Danny in the eyes, "so you find me attractive?"

Danny blinked and looked at Stiles like he had no clue what he was talking about, "I have no clue what you're talking about."

"I heard you in the bathroom with Scott," Stiles nodded, "and I know I shouldn't have been eavesdropping but I was in there for other reasons when you guys walked in...I can't help that Scott has terrible hearing." Danny opened his mouth to say something three time but he still couldn't think of anything to say. "I know you said that you don't know what you feel but..." Stiles continued, "but maybe there could be something there for... for me," Stiles tilted his head to the side slightly and looked at Danny in a way that he never had before. He was waiting for an answer, maybe, something that would tell him that he isn't being a complete idiot right now.

Danny looked at Stiles but he still could not think of a single thing to say, which killed him because there was so much he wanted to say. He wanted to tell Stiles something, he wanted to be brave and say something just like Stiles had been but he just...he just kept drawing a blank. The words were on his tongue but it was like they were made of lead, they just sat there on his tongue and weighed down on his heart.

Stiles nodded, and taking Danny's silence for an answer said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I do that a lot...I say things when I shouldn't. I'm just gonna...go. Thanks though, for letting me hang out with your family...and I hope that things won't be weird now."

Danny watched as Stiles backed up before turning and walking away from him and the lump in his throat hurt like when he dry swallowed a pill. It was bitter, this pill, to watch Stiles walk away when he was the one who actually spoke up about what Danny was too scared to admit. He wanted to move forward and stop Stiles from walking away but his feet just wouldn't listen, he wanted to reach out and pull him back but it was as if his hands hand gone limp under the pressure of unspoken words. Why did it hurt, why was he so scared to tell Stiles what he felt, why was he such a coward? He was fighting with himself, he wanted to move forward and pull Stiles into an embrace and just spill everything that he had wanted to tell him ever since he and Stiles had agreed on trying to be friends, but nothing would work his body was betraying him in the worse way right now and there was nothing he could do about it. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over at his father, who just watched where Stiles had walked away with a serious look on his face.

"It'll be okay...I know you liked him but he'll come back to you."

"We weren't...aren't dating, dad. I was just too scared to tell him how I felt," Danny looked at the ground. "It's like...it's like I'm always scared to admit things like this to myself, but it was worse this time; he was okay with it, he wanted to talk to me about it and I was just...quiet. Is there something wrong with me, dad?"

"No, son, you're just a teenager. I sometimes forget that you're a kid because of how mature you are, but you're just as lost in love like the rest of us." Danny looked up at his dad and it was like this man that he had known his whole life was someone new. His father had never spoken to him like this, even with the other boys that Danny had dated, his father had never once spoken to him like he was anything other than a kid in lust. He felt his father pull him tino his side and he let his dad lead him in the house and off of the porch away from the cool of the night air.

Stiles put his key in the lock but stopped when he heard voices on the other side; it would usually be the tv but this was different, there were two distinct voices, his dad's and that of a woman. He turned his key in the lock and pushed the door open to find his father talking to a very worried Melissa. "Mrs. McCall," he said looking from his dad to Scott's mom.

"Stiles," Mrs. McCall stood from where she had been sitting on the stairs with her head in her hands, "have you seen Scott?"

"No," Stiles said but it sounded more like a question, "what's wrong?"

"He's been gone all day," Mr. Stilinski said and Stiles knew he was still in Sheriff mode. "We've called Allison but she hadn't heard from him, we were thinking that he might be with you but..."

"No," Stiles shook his head as he closed the door, "I was with Danny and his parents all day, I haven't heard from Scott since last night." Mrs. McCall went back to sitting in despair on the stairs and Mr. Stilinski rubbed his hand over his hair and stopping to scratch his neck. "Did you call Jackson, maybe he's heard from him?"

"Yeah, but he could only account for him being in the woods earlier, and that was aroundten in the morning. Melissa, I can't file a missing persons until it's been three days but, I can tell the guys down at the station to keep a look out. I'll send a car out to check for him in the woods where Jackson had mention, they've known Scott for a while so I know they won't mind, but I'm telling you that he might've just went out and lost track of time. I'm sure he'll be home any time now" this was all that Mr. Stilinski could offer but he knew it wasn't the comfort that Melissa was seeking.

"Thanks Sheriff," she said dejectedly, standing up as if on auto-pilot. "I told Scott to be careful, but he doesn't listen. I sometimes think that if his father was still around he wouldn't act as lost as he does, that maybe he's listen to me a bit more. I don't know..." she walked to the door and thanked Stiles when she passed him.

What happened at Scott's house the other night flashed in his head and he felt sick when he put together what must have happened. Exasperated he rushed through his mental list of what could be done but he stopped when he realized, "Mrs. McCall, does Scott have his phone with him?"

"He should," she said from where she stood by the open door tiredly, "but if he does then he's not answering it. Why?"

"No reason," Stiles shook his head and prayed that Scott's phone wasn't off.

Mrs. McCall gave a look that questioned Stiles sanity but he was used to her giving him that look. If she had wanted to say anything she didn't, she just walked out the door in silence.

"Uh, dad," Stiles said turning to his father, "I didn't see her car out there, maybe you should give her a ride home."

"Right," Mr. Stilinski pulled on his jacket and walked out the door saying, "Melissa, let me give you a ride home and I'll call the guys down at the station."

Stiles waited for the sound of the engine to start and the crawl of the tires down the street before he left the house and made a bee line for Danny's door. He knocked rapidly and took a step back when Danny opened the door.

"Stiles," Danny asked when he saw how worried Stiles looked, "what's the matter?" Danny's parents looked up from where they were busying themselves with things around the foyer when Stiles said the next two words.

"Scott's missing."

It was as if a switch had been hit in Danny, a switch that had been there all along but was behind 'break in case of missing Scott' glass, and he grabbed his jacket and pulled Stiles out of the house and into the cold of the night. "We're going to have to call everyone, get Morgan, call Allison, and make sure that Jackson gets over here. Is your dad home?" Stiles just shook his head and Danny made his way across the street to the Stilinski home, "tell them that we're going to meet at your house."

"Do you think you could do the cell phone tracking thing that you did when we had to find Derek last time," Stiles asked as the rushed across his lawn and into his house.

"Yeah, and if there's any hope left in the world we'll be able to find Derek too," Danny had his jaw set tight as he took the stairs three at a time. "But make sure you get Jackson here, if he has a connection with Derek then we'll really need him if Amara has anything up her sleeves."

To be continued...

A/N:I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Like I said before you started reading, it came to me in bursts so I reread before I added anything so it would have a little continuity.

How did you guys like my attempt at fluff? I wanted more Stanny(Diles?) feels in the chapter than when I thought I had finished it and most of what you get towards the end is the result of that.

Also, I forgot what I wanted to say, but thanks for reading and we're down to two chapters before I end this(?). It's almost over you guys, so you won't have to suffer through this much longer. Thanks.


	11. Chapter 11

Stiles just nodded and flipped his phone open and hit call on Jackson's number in his contacts. It rang twice before Jackson picked up and Stiles could swear he heard him stifle a burp.

"What do you want, Stiles," there was the ever present disdain in Jackson's voice.

"Amara's got Scott, and you need to get over to my house now," Stiles heard the phone click off and he looked at the screen.

"What's wrong," Danny asked looking back at Stiles as they walked in his room.

"Jackson hung up on me," Stiles was still looking at his phone with raised eyebrows.

"Okay fine, call Morgan and Allison now," Danny said as he booted up Stiles' computer.

"There's no need to call Morgan."

They both jumped when they heard the voice and looked over to see Morgan looking grim in the doorway. Danny and Stiles exchanged glances but it was Stiles who said what they were both thinking, "how did you...how?"

"As long as you've known me when have I ever not been able to get into anywhere, and when have I ever not known anything about what's going on with you guys," Morgan crossed her arms over her chest but it was evident that her haughty attitude had almost left her.

"Well, however you got here, good. We need everyone now more than ever because apparently your mother doesn't care for weekends," Stiles said as he pressed call to get Allison on the phone.

"Yeah," Danny exhaled, "and I was hoping for one day where I wouldn't have the ever present worry of danger dangling over my head. But I guess that went out the door when I decided that normal was too boring for me," he said the last part turning in Stiles' desk chair to look at the boy and then over to Morgan.

"Well I'm glad you decided that normal was boring," Morgan glanced at Stiles and then back to Danny. "Besides, it's way to much fun to be worrying over werewolves and witches...and demons." They all noticed the hesitation in Morgan's voice before she added the last bit. "Plus I like having you around, you've got a really good energy about you, and we could always use more positive energy around here." And as if on cue Jackson stumbled through the front door and up the stairs.

"What are we gonna do," Jackson said as he started to look less like a teen wolf and more like a teen. "Where's Allison, and why are you all standing around like a bunch of deer caught in a headlight?"

"Well, Jackson," Stiles said bringing a hand to his face and coughing to cover his laugh. Danny ducked his head and turned to start trying to find Scott's phone and Morgan just sat there stonefaced looking at Jackson. "Jackson," Stiles started again but he just walked over and took a hand mirror out of the drawer by Danny and held it up to Jackson.

The look on Jackson's face was comical to say the least; he went from shock to horror, then to anger and finally he settled on embarrassment; he was covered in sauce from what his mother had cooked and he still had a napkin tucked in his shirt. In a flash the napkin was in his hand and his face was wiped clean before Stiles could get his camera out.

Jackson cleared his throat and tried to make a slick recovery. "Anyway," he said not making eye contact with anyone in the room, "we have to find Scott because, if we find Scott then we'll find Derek and Amara. And the sooner we find Amara the sooner we can get all of this over."

"But you forgot about Lydia," Allison said as she walked into the room. "What are we going to do about Lydia and her little condition?"

"Little condition," Morgan scoffed. "I don't think we'll have to worry about Lydia once we take care of my mother. I can almost guarantee that the demon in Lydia is not there by choice, very rarely do they delight in possession when it has little to no personal gain."

"What's that supposed to mean," Danny asked never looking back from the computer screen as he opened and closed several different programs.

"It means that they'll usually go after someone weak, someone whose soul they'd delight in having tortured in Hell. Usually it's someone who's devout or pure of heart, someone with..." and then it clicked in Morgan's mind. Everything that had lead up to this moment made complete sense; Peter's return and Laura's death, Derek coming back and Scott being turned, even Peter's death and Derek becoming the alpha, it had all been planned out. She intened for Peter to attack Lydia and for her to survive the attack, she was important. Lydia was important. Her mother needed for everything to happen the way it did so that Morgan would get sent over here and her spell would work. She planned it all out and gave just the slightest nudge with getting the nurse to mention in passing about Peter's neice being in San Francisco. All of it, leading up until Lydia's turning and the resulting hailstorm that followed, and now here they were, standing on the edge of what could either be a success or a terrible, life threatening, mistake. "Lydia was supposed to get bitten," Morgan whispered to herself and walked over to the window.

"Wait. What," Jackson asked squinting his eyes at what he had just heard.

"My mother planned on Lydia getting bitten," Morgan clarified her head hanging.

"How could your mother have planned any of that, it all seemed so random." Stiles looked up at Morgan because, according to him, everything that happened was just too by chance for it to have been planned out. "I don't see how she could have planned it, everything happened in one long series of unfortunate events," he blinked hard and tried not to notice that he was thinking of the Lemony Snicket series.

"That's how she wanted it to be," Morgan said closing her eyes tight, "she wanted it to seem like everything happened by accident. If she had done anything directly then my priestess would have seen it, and I wouldn't have gotten sent here so the rest of her devious plan could be followed through. She played the whole thing like a master puppeteer." Morgan hadn't known when she had made a fist or when she had punched the windowsill so hard that her fingers throbbed with pain.

Danny looked over his shoulder when he heard Morgan's fist make contact with the wood, and Stiles and Jackson exchanged concerned looks while Allison bit her lip and turned away.

"So she's the reason my aunt's dead," Allison asked through her fingers.

"Yeah," Morgan closed her eyes again as she spoke in a whisper. "She knew that your aunt would come, I should have known something was up when she started taking an interest in werewolves and the people who hunt them. I was so blind; she was so obvious with the whole thing that I didn't notice anything weird about it. You know, when my priestess told me that I would have to come to Beacon Hills I wondered why the name sounded so familiar, but now I remember that I had seen it in some of my mother's notes...the one's she had thrown away. I remember the name Argent too, which was why I was so quick to befriend you Allison, it was something familiar in a new place. I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner, and I'm sorry about everything that's happened to you guys. I don't know why I'm such a screw up, if I had seen the clues earlier none of this would have had to happen; Scott would still be human, Allison, you'd never have had to know about any of this, Stiles would still..."

"I'd still be the quiet and doting best friend," he walked over and grabbed Morgan's hands off the windowsill, unfisting them as he did so. "Look at me," he said turning Morgan to face him and he didn't continue until she was looking him in the eyes. "None of this is your fault, this was just a woman's sick and twisted dream that became too much of a reality. You can't blame yourself for your mother's madness, no more than I can blame Scott for being so...no, that's in bad taste given that he's not here," he sighed and let his shoulders drop a little along with the temperature of the room. "You're perfect, Morgan, and you've done so much for us that I can't let you continue thinking that you're anything less." He lifted a hand to her chin so that she was looking him in the eyes again, and he placed a kiss on her lips soft enough so that she could pull away but sure enough to let her know that there is nothing wrong with her. Eyes around the room looked away; some in discomfort, some in shock, and others in pain. Morgan bought a hand up in hesitation to hold him closer but thought against it and pushed him away, blush flaring on her cheeks. "Why would you do that," she asked tears swelling in her eyes.

"Because there's nothing wrong with you," he said as sure as if he was telling someone the sky is blue.

"Well it's good to see that you've gotten over me so soon."

They looked up as Lydia stood in the doorway; her hair and rouged lips standing out agaist her startlingly pale skin, her frame was leaner now, proof that she hadn't been able to eat but, her eyes still bore the tell-tale orange gleam that Allison remembered from that night. The room froze as she crossed the threshold and walked to the middle of the room, all eyes on her and her enigmatic glare.

"I have to say that I'm a little surprised that you'd get over me by going for something like this," she gestured lazily towards Morgan. "But I guess you can't help it when something so broken and beaten stumbles onto your porch," she shrugged dramatically. "Que sera sera."

"Last time I checked, demons weren't allowed to cross the threshold," Morgan said straightening her back a little.

"Last time you checked there wasn't anything about a demon possessing an omega, things change," Lydia gave with a quirk of her eyebrow. "I want to apologize though, to Allison." Allison's breathing caught for only a moment, but she was just like her mother in that she's learned to put up a mask. "I'm sorry about that pretty car of yours, I'm sure you had a hard time explaining that to your daddy," Lydia's voice was present but tainted with the low growl of that of the demon's own voice. "Oh and Jackson, I'd still be worried about Lydia. Funny thing about an omega teenage girl, her fury knows no bounds and she is still pissed off at you." The color drained from Jackson's face but it went unnoticed because Lydia had something to say to Danny who was just sitting awkwardly by the computer. "But Danny, I have to say that I am disappointed in you most of all. I never once thought that you'd end up becoming part of this ragtag team of failure, and for what, a boy? My God Danny," Stiles noticed how she hesitated over the name god and looked at Morgan who seemed to have noticed it as well. "I can't believe you'd become that typical. For shame."

Danny cleared his throat, "I know this isn't you Lydia. You're mean but not like this, there's ice in your voice. We're you're friends and you're talking to us like we're dogs..."

"You said it, not me," Lydia cut him off.

"What's wrong with you," Danny finished.

"There's nothing wrong with me." Lydia's voice started to take a turn for the more sinister. "You're the ones with something wrong with them, I'm still me...just better."

"What happened to you Lydia," Stiles said from where he had been standing next to Morgan.

"Oh Stiles honey," the demon's voice took on a sickly sweet tone that put a bitter taste in Stiles' mouth. "There is so much that's happened to me that I don't even know where to begin," she clapped her hands together as her eyes flashed a bright orange before Lydia's gree-brown eyes came through and the harshness of her voice smoothed itself. "You have to help me," she clutched Danny's hands who was now sitting wide eyed and shocked. "I can't take anymore of this! Someone, Morgan, you have to help me!" She turned wild eyed to Morgan and Stiles who both to a small step back. "I can't take this anymore," but before she could reach them in her desperation there was a change in her and just as she made contact with Stiles' skin there was a ping and a flash of light that sent her sprawling to the floor.

Everyone was caught off guard, because honestly even Stiles had forgot about the necklace even though he remembered to never take it off, but when he looked up through the spots in his eyesight he saw Lydia crouched down on the floor with a snarl on her lips. They ducked just in time as Lydia lunged at them, flew over their heads, and crashed through the window disappearing into the woods behind Stiles' house. Danny looked over his arm and Jackson from where he had pulled his jacket up to block the shards blinked his eyes, still blurry from the flash, looking at the mess that was on the floor and the blood that trailed out Stiles' window.

"What just happened," Allison said turning from where she had covered herself against the wall.

"Stiles' necklace, it's supposed to protect him from evil," Morgan said standing up and carefully dusting herself off.

"Yeah," Stiles said standing up slowly, "but doesn't Danny have one just like it? Lydia touched him and nothing happened." Danny reached in his shirt and pulled it out to show everyone.

"Yeah," Danny said standing up to walk over and help Stiles and Morgan clean themselves off. "She grabbed my hands and nothing, and I made sure not to take it off because, well, I like it." He started to pick small shards of glass off of Stiles' jacket but stopped when he saw that Stiles was picking glass out of Morgan's hair.

"Maybe something changed," Jackson said over the awkwardness that tried to settle in the room.

"What, between when she was holding on to Danny and when she turned to Stiles? That was almost a two second window." Allison added as she started to kick some of the bigger shards of glass into a pile.

"Wait," Morgan said looking up at Stiles. "Her eyes. Her eyes changed. It was really quick but it looked like the demon had taken over again."

"That would make sense," Stiles said looking back to where Lydia had landed. "She landed on her feet, and then the way she was so ready to attack us...the demon must've taken over again."

"So that would mean that when Lydia has actual control of herself then she's not evil..." Jackson trailed off.

"And that means that she can be helped," Allison said looking up.

"And that means that she can help us," Morgan added with finality.

"Scott," Derek said in the hush of the dark room. Amara and her hunters had gone; apparently Amara isn't evil enough to disregard someone's birthday. "Scott," he said again with a bit more body in his raspy voice. He had lost a lot of water but his body kept sweating and he couldn't remember the last time they had fed him anything that wasn't enough to keep him just from dying and the water had become even scarcer. His body was weak but his wolf genes refused to let his body fail on him. "Scott," he called again and rattled the schackles that held him.

Scott looked up through his daze, Amara had been generous to the munkshood and even though he was fed more than Derek he was still kept just from the moment of dying. "What," his voice was harsh and his throat was arid. He too had been sweating, his body was hot as if he were on fire and the halogen lights that Amara kept on them didn't help at all. His eyes were heavy and his body tired from the lack of sleep and the demand to perform even through the glaring conditions.

"You told Amara," Derek's breathing was labored and his words slow, "that people are coming for us. Do you believe that Stiles and the rest of them can get to us?"

Scott couldn't believe what he was hearing, there was doubt in Derek's voice proof that he had been here too long. "Yes," Scott said forcing his voice to sound sure, "yes I do. Stiles and the guys are going to be here any moment. Stiles is smart, he'll figure something out and he has Danny with him and you know how good he is with a computer. And I'm sure by now Allison is there with her bow and she won't give up until she's found us. Jackson I'm sure will be helpful, he was so intent on finding you that he dragged me out of bed to help look for you; and Morgan's there I'm sure, and she was sent here to protect us and she won't give up...I'm almost sure of it." Scott hoped that Derek couldn't hear the doubt that he was feeling. He knew they were looking for him, but he wasn't too confident in anything they could do to deal with Amara.

"You know, for someone who's trying to reassure me you don't sound too sure yourself," Derek added tiredly. "Remind me once we get out of here to teach you how to lie."

"I wasn't lying," Scott said a bit too loudly and lowered his voice when his echo returned to him. "I wasn't lying, I know they're coming for us. I know that you don't really care for them but, my friends...they're some of the most resiliant people I know. By them knowing me I've put them all through so much; Allison finding out about her family and her aunt, Jackson driving himself to run to you for the bite so he could be better than me, Lydia getting dragged into this by the teeth of Peter, Stiles and having to deal with me and all the crap I put him through, and now Danny is dragged into it because he has to be kept safe; and Morgan getting sent here because of a terrible future that probably just started because of me. So I can promise you that I'm not lying when I say that they're coming for us."

Derek looked over at Scott and couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You know, as long as I've known you I've never once heard you talk about your friends like that, it's almost refreshing. But we have to be real about this, we have to try to think of a way to get out of here and deal with Amara if no one comes for us." Scott opened his mouth to protest, his dry lips looking angry chapped from dehydration, but he closed it when Derek kept going. "I heard what you said about your friends, and that's fine, but I'm saying that we have to be prepared to take care of things ourselves just as a precaution."

"Derek, now it's time for you to get real about this; we're strapped to a wall of wires that is sending an electric current through of bodies in waves, there are armed guards with wolfsbane bullets and poisoned darts as a 'just is case,' there's a psycho witch who's holding us as pets for some weird voodoo thing she has planned, and we're both weak, now how are we supposed to get out of here," Scott did his best to turn to look at Derek but the best he could do was give a side glare that was less effective than anything Derek could have came up with.

"Scott, I'm not saying that it's going to be easy but I am saying that it's better to have a backup than to just sit around and hope that something will happen," there was a sterness in Derek's voice that not even hunger and dehydration could take away from him. Derek was definite with everything he said and now he was covering up the doubt that had slipped through earlier with a cold sureness that even Scott had to respect. "We're going to get out of here, Scott, and you're going to help me do it."

Scott closed his eyes exhaling a shallow breath that cooled the sweat on his bare chest. He didn't know how they were going to do it, and Derek didn't know all that had went on while he was here. It was his fault that he didn't keep Derek as informed as he should have and now here they were, strapped to a wall staring at sure death and Derek was carrying on with blid hope that they'd get out on their own. "Derek," Scott could feel the words heavy on his tongue already, "there are some things that you should know about since you've been captured..."

"You can't keep doing this to me," Lydia screamed into the dark of the woods, tears falling down her face as she clutched at her arm. "You have to go away, you have to stop this!"

"I don't have to stop anything," the demon spoke from within her. "I have the power to do what ever it is I want and I don't plan on going anywhere for a while."

"Oh but you will."

Lydia turned to see where the new voice had come from but saw no one. " Who was that," she asked turning to look for wherever this voice could have come from.

"And who do you think you are telling me what I'll do," the gravelly voice of the demon came from the girl's lips.

"I am merely the herald of your doom, and the bringer of hope for that poor girl you've possessed. Your future has been set in stone, you and yours will reap the consequences of your actions and pay with the ultimate price. I have spoken."

"'I have spoken,'" the demon's voice came mockingly. "No one speaks like that except for..." and there was a pause as if the demon within Lydia had been drawing to a conclusion of what it is that had just been said. "If you think I'm going to die you are sadly mistaken, I can not be killed or dealt with, I will linger within this girl until her will has died and all that's left is a reusable husk."

"I have spoken," was all the other voice said before it faded away into the still of the night.

"Don't listen to that damned thing, you are stuck with me forever," the demon said to Lydia who had been pushed back once the other voice had made itself present.

"No, you're not. You heard it, you're getting out of here and I'm going to be done with you for good," Lydia said looking at her arm that now looked as if there was never a cut. "And I have friends who are going to help ke get rid of you."

The demon scoffed and walked around in a rough circle on the edge of the clearing, "those pathetic little friends of you're can't do anything about me. I'm here with a mission and I'll see it through even if it leads to the death of you." Lydia's body lurched forward and there was the sickening crack as bone broke and muscle tore. She screamed as her legs broke and bent back forcing her to crouch onto the floor. Her back snapped and elongated, and the burn of stretching skin as she looked back to see a tail growing from the tip of her spine. Her brow became pronounced on her forehead as her nose and mouth pulled into the form of a snout and muzzle. Her teeth sharped and her tongue hang from her jowls just as the last fleck of green left her eyes and was replaced by a black rimmed orange iris.

The hot breath of the beast clouded in the cool night air, and a howl escaped from between the jaws of the wolf piercing to still of the Beacon County night. It tore off into the woods that led across town and over to the downtown district of Beacon Hills.

Jackson's blood ran cold as the inhuman keen found it's way into his ears, a cold sweat dotting his forehead as he looked around the room at everyone else once they heard the wolven yowl. "Did...um, did you guys hear that," he stammered out, his body shaking involountarily.

"It was Lydia," Morgan nodded her head but it was Allison who said the one thing they had all noticed but not want to mention.

"That wasn't any kind of wolf howl I've ever heard before, something about it just sounded darker," she crossed her arms over her chest and hunched her shoulders against the breeze that came in through the broken window.

"There wasn't any Lydia in that howl," Jackson said from where he had stepped out of the moonlight that shone through the window. "There was just the tell-tale evil that you'd expect to come from a demon."

"You got all of that from a howl," Danny asked from where he had been standing nervously by a now quiet Stiles.

"There's marker with each wolf," Jackson started. "Each wolf has it's own distinct voice just like every human, and I couldn't hear Lydia at all. There was just rage and jealousy and pain, but most of all there was this ache...this ache to just watch the world burn. And that thing that's inside of Lydia won't stop until everyone around her is dead and gone."

They were all in a stunned silence that made the creaking of the house all the more present; the wind blowing outside and the leaves that skittered over the porch all seemed to be too loud tonight. Danny glanced around nervously but decided to look at the floor, Allison and Stiles shared worried looks over Lydia and what could happen to her, and Morgan just sat there consumed in her own thoughts.

"Danny, did you find out where Scott ad Derek were," Jackson said untimately breaking the silence. He looks at Danny who, up until now, has been standing there looking slightly sweaty.

"Umm, yeah," he walked over and sat at the computer again. "I found them but you're not going to believe me when I tell you wehere they are."

"Well," Morgan said prompting Danny to go on.

"Well," Danny said dragging out the word, "do you guys remember that old cemetary over on the other end of town...the one that nobody goes to anymore?"

"Oh God," Jackson sighed and brought a hand up to rub his temple, he was agitated to say the least and Allison caught on to it.

"Wait, what's so bad about that? Is there something I should know about this place?" She looked around the room from face to face wanting an answer as to why everyone seemed more concerned now that they knew where they were.

"There's a story that most of the kids in town were told as kids about an old man who went insane one night and started to dig up graves and set the bodies on fire, he said he was protecting the town from the evil that swarmed there but mostly he was just crazy. It was said that he dug up and set a total of two dozen graves on fire before he slipped and fell to his death in one of the burning pires." Stiles cleared his throat as he continued, while Danny and Jackson just stood around trying not to remember what it was like to hear that story as kids, "It's been said that sometimes you can smell burning flesh downtown when a strong breeze blows between the charred tombstones and kicks up some of the still barren soil. There was a rumor a few years back that one of the older kids went into the graveyard one night on a dare to impress a girl but he never came out, all that they found of him was a fingernail and some singed hair."

Once Stiles had finished a new silence had settled over the room and eyes were downcast in either fear or shock, but Allison spoke up because she refused to not have anything answered.

"And you guys actually believe this, it sounds like something out of a bad horror movie. It sounds..."

"Impossible?" Morgan cut in, "just like werewolves and witches are impossible? Or as impossible as a whole family that's dedicated their lives to hunting said werewolves?" Allison shut her mouth but Morgan continued, more to the group than to anyone in particular. "Graveyards are a hotbed for the energy of the dead to linger and fester in it's sadness. If someone could tap into this energy -like a witch- and focus it, they would have enough power to destroy a town around the size of Beacon Hills."

"Umm Stiles," Jackson spoke up from where he had been leaning against the wall by Stiles' door. "You're dad's coming in the house."

Before Stiles could register what Jackson had just said his father walked through his door and looked almost disapprovingly at the kids in his room before he saw the glass and broken window. His eyes settled on Stiles as he demanded an explaination.

"Okay dad," Stiles stammered wide eyed. "I know how this looks but I promise this isn't what it looks like," he paused, "what does it look like?"

"It looks like there's bunch of teenagers in my house while I have a missing person on my hand, and the window is busted." He crossed his arm and leaned against the doorframe, "why are you guys here?"

Looks were exchanged across the room but all eyes landed on Stiles who stammered under the attention. "Umm, well, we're going to look for Scott."

Sheriff Stilinski shook his head, "No you're not. I'm not going to have you kids running around town. I want all of you to go back home now and let me handle this."

"No," Stiles said seriously his jaw set tight. Heads around the room snapped up at the tone of Stiles' voice.

Sheriff Stilinski paused for a moment, "'No?' Did you just say no to me?"

Stiles swallowed hard but nodded his head. "No, we're not going to go home and let you handle this. Scott's my friend, dad, he's our friend and I don't think you can tell us to go home and not do anything."

"Stiles, I think you need to think about this. There's no telling where Scott is or if you'll find him, you should really just leave this to me." Sheriff Stilinski looked at his son with a furrowed vrow because he knew that no matter how much he tried to talk Stiles out of this, he couldn't stop him.

Stiles fixed his father with the determined look of a defiant son, almost challenging him to stop him. "We're going to find him, and we're going to bring him home, and no matter how much you don't want me to leave, I'm going out there to look for my best friend."

Mr. Stilinski stood down and put his hands up in surrender. He could deal with criminals and the occasional disorderly drunkard but one thing he couldn't handle was his son once he set his mind to something. "Fine," he said looking at his son with a look akin to admiration, "but I want you to contact me if anything happens. Do you hear me?"

Stiles exhaled and having successfully convinced his father that he can't be stopped, "Of course, dad. I'll call you if something happens that you should know about."

Sheriff Stilinski looked at the faces of the kids in front of him and sighed, "you guys have to let your parents know where you're going. I'm not going to have a whole bunch of disgruntled parents calling me because they think you've gone missing." He turned to walk out of the room but stopped at the door, "and don't tell them I okayed this, I've got enough to deal with already." He left the room and the kids, he left the house and decided it would be best for him to pretend that he didn't just okay a bunch of minors to go out and search for a missing friend.

Once his father had left Stiles turned to the rest of the group with a relieved look. "So Danny," he clapped his hands together, "any coordinates or are we just gonna go in there guns blazing and hope we stumble upon them?"

Danny just blinked his eyes wide shaking his head he exhaled and turned back to the computer screen, "I can get you the coordinates but I don't think we'll need them once we get there."

"Why would you say that," Allison said walking over to lean on the back of the computer chair.

"Because once we get there Jackson can just -and I'm sorry to use the term, Jackson- sniff them out." Morgan looked over to a less than amused Jackson who was getting poked by an obviously amused Stiles. "Plus," she continued on, "the sooner we get over there the sooner we can get to Scott and Derek."

They split up between Stiles' Jeep and Allison's Mazda; Jackson opting to drive up front with Stiles and Morgan while Danny decided he'd like to keep Allison company. They drove down the block and out of the Stiles and Danny's cul-de-sac and onto the road that would lead them way across town.

"Stiles," Morgan said breaking the silence that filled the Jeep. "Why did you kiss me back there?" Jackson choked a little at Morgan's bluntness but secretly he wanted to asking the same question.

"Well, um...um," Stiles sputtered a little at being hit so broadside from the backseat. "I...wanted to let you know that you're not worthless."

"But you didn't have to kiss me," she said leaning up so that she was right between Jackson and Stiles. "And anyone could see that it hurt Danny a little."

Stiles eyes widened as he looked across the front seat at Jackson, meeting his eyes through the dark hair of the girl who was turned looking at him. "I...I didn't mean it like that," Stiles stuttered a little. "I didn't want to hurt anyone, honestly."

"We know that," Jackson spoke up now. "But come on, even I can tell that Danny likes you. He's just a little to chicken to tell you about it."

"He did," Stiles added quickly. "I mean, he didn't."

"Well which is it," Jackson asked almost impatiently. "Did he tell you that he likes you, or didn't he?"

"What I mean is, he didn't tell me right out." Stiles sighed before he continued on, "I overheard him in the bathroom talking with Scott when he asked Danny what he felt for me. I don't know how Scott could figure it out, but he did. And when Danny told him that he felt something for me but he didn't know what it was, I got a little excited because up until then I thought he was just tolerating me hanging around him. So I approached him, a few minutes ago actually, about what I heard and he didn't say anything to me...not outright. But I wanted him to feel something for me, I don't know why I did...do. I don't know why I want him to have feelings for me, and when he didn't answer me I assumed I had overstepped a boundary and left before I could make anything worse. But I don't know, it hurt a little when he didn't say anything back, and he just looked at me with those eyes of his, and it was like something heavy had just fallen on me. And all I remember thinking at that moment was that I had to get away from him before I say something else, or worse, he says something that sounds like rejection and I just..."

He trailed off, running out of words to express what it was that was going on in his head. He knew this wasn't the time to be worrying about any of this stuff but he was, and he had been for a while even if he didn't want to admit it to himself. He flashed back to Danny standing there looking at him with those sad and almost strangled eyes, and the heaviness that was between them even in the still of the night air. He remembered all of the rushing and the hoping for something he wanted, something he wanted to hear, but he couldn't bring himself to listen if it was anything other than what he silently hoped for. He could take everyone else denying him anything; attention from Scott, love from Lydia, frienship from Allison and tolerance from Jackson; he could deal with having all of that denied from him, but he couldn't take it from Danny. It would have undone him and he knew it, not like how he fell apart when his mother died, but something new and completely alien to him. He breathed deeply and brought himself back to focusing on the road. He needed to focus on anything that wasn't Danny and the thumping in his chest as he thought about the boy.

"Stiles," Jackson asked tentatively, his wolf sensing the tention coming off Stiles in waves.

"I don't know, Jackson, okay? I don't know and I'm really confused right now, is that what you want to hear? I just...I don't know and I really don't need this right now." Stiles shoulders slouched in the chair and Morgan slid back into the seat and left Stiles alone for the rest of the car ride.

"Are you okay, Danny?" Allison asked as she followed behind Stiles' blue Jeep as they made their way over to what might be a big fight for them.

"I'm fine." Danny looked out the car window and into the blackness that sped by.

"I don't want to pry," Allison said turning to look at the taller teen who seemed so small in the front seat of her car. "But, you know you can talk to me. I'm really good at listening and you don't really have to worry about me talking to anyone about whatever you say."

"I know, Allison." Danny didn't look over from where his eyes were looking for something familiar in the blackness of the night.

"I'm just...I'm..." Danny started and before he know what was happening it was all spilling out of him. Stiles came to me wanting to know if I felt anything for "I never intended on telling him anything but that boy is just so sneaky. He overheard me and Scott in the bathroom talking about it and then not even an hour ago he comes to me, looking as boyishly innocent as ever, and asks me if I could feel anything for him. No, wants me to feel something for him. He knew I did but he wanted me to be sure about it. He wanted me to know that I liked him, and I do, but I just...I don't know. I keep thinking about everything that's going on and, somehow, it seems like my emotions don't really matter when we're running head first into a fray of wolves, witches, and demons. And I can't help but remember how he looked at me with those brown eyes of his wanting an answer. Something to justify why he came to me the way he did and all I did was stand there, with a lump in my throat and not say anything. I want to be brave like Stiles is, and talk to him about this just as sure as he came to me, but I can't. And I watched him walk away from me, thinking that he was the one in the wrong when it was me who was wrong because I was a coward about how I felt. I can't help but think that maybe something will go wrong, or that what I'm feeling isn't worth it at all. I don't even know why I like him the way I do and it's driving me mad because, when I go to sleep he's the last thing on my mind. And when I wake up and go to school he's there, and then I see him outside of school and even then I want to see more of him, I want to spend more time around him. I want to be there for him and with him, and I want to make sure that he never has to know the pain of loss again and I just want everything to be okay for him. He's an amazing person and the thought that he's not told this on the daily basis bothers me so much, because someone like him should be reminded daily of what a treasure he is and I just..."

Danny took in a deep breath and felt the weight on his chest lift a little bit at having said this to someone who actually understands what he means. "I just want him."

Allison had been listening carefully as Danny spilled everything he had been feeling out and into the conditioned air of the car. She looked over at the boy who was now sitting up in the seat but was still slouched under whatever it was he hadn't said.

"I think you should tell Stiles what you just told me," she looked from Danny back to the street. "And I think you owe it to yourself and to Stiles to give him an answer, the answer you just gave me. Now I know this isn't the ideal time to talk about something like this but I think it's worth the risk anyway." Allison reached over and patted Danny's thigh, a soft smile on her lips as she looked over at the teen in the seat next to her. "Just give it a shot, what do you have to lose?"

Allison turned her attention back to the road and began to change her mindset into preparing for the battle at hand. She didn't hear it, but the boy next to her said something as he pressed his forehead to the cool glass and let the words slip out on the breath of something lighter than a whisper.

"A friend."

Lydia's heart thudded in her chest as her paws pounded against the earth, and her breath came to her in swift easy breaths. She knew she was running and she knew where she was going, and she knew what was going to happen once she got there, but she had no control over her form. For her it was like that time her family took a trip to Hawaii for vacation -back when her family wasn't broken and her father hadn't been sleeping with his assistant- and her parents thought it would be a good idea for her to learn how to surf. She had been really excited about it at first because, she had seen enough moives to see how cool all the guys and girls looked as they flew over the crashing blue waves. So when her parents decided to take her down to the beach one morning for lessons with a private teacher, she was boucing on the balls of her feet as the guy told her about the safety procedures. Now normally you aren't supposed to get put in the water on the first day, but her mother had been incessant that she at least get on the water for a few pictures. Begrugingly, her instructor took her out on the water and her mother had gotten a few pictures when suddenly there was a big wave that crashed into her and the tutor.

She remembered the rush of water as it fell on top of her and pushed her down into the steel blue water that was suddenly colder than before. She remembered the unrelenting pressure as wave after wave fell on top of her and she was bumped and pushed around under water. She remembered what it felt like to have no control over anything and to just want to get back to safety, she remembered the fear that clogged her throat that strangled out any of the air she had in her lungs. She remembered the fear as her eyes went wide and her lungs betrayed her as they pulled water in hoping for air. This is what that felt like, she had no control and all she could feel was fear and the pressure of the demon forcing her to move forward.

Her breathing wasn't her own, it felt sick and perverted as it filled her lungs and pushed through her veins. She hated the feel as muscle flexed and contracted catapulting her forward. She screamed, somewhere inside the jail that was her body. She screamed but it wasn't her voice, it was the howl of the wolf that came from her lungs. She felt violated and raw, she curled up into herself, the demon taking control and pushing her body deeper into the woods that would lead them across town and away from her home and her friends, and into what might be her death.

Amara walked into the dark, dank of the crypt that housed the bodies of what was once an affluent family; the mausoleum above ground held murals depicting some of the family's charitable, but undoubtably underhanded, achievements. A long line of headstones lined one side of the wall with dates starting as far back as 1802, this was without a doubt one of the founding families of Beacon County. She placed her goodie bag on the desk that she had two of the male hunters bring down; it was a large wooden desk made of thick oak that was mixed with cherry wood and had elder wood finishings. Leaning on the desk she turned to look at her two captives who hung with their heads low under the blistering light of the halogen lamp.

"Boys," she said clearing her throat and taking off her long lamb skin coat to drape over her chair. When neither one of them looked up she snapped her fingers making both boys look up in a howl of pain.

Both Derek and Scott looked up; Derek with his ever fixated glare no matter how deflated it had become, and Scott with his hooded eyes and heavy brow making it hard for him to see much of anything.

"Good," she said walking over to them. "Now that I have your attention I'd like to share a few things with you. As you both know I was out celebrating the birthday of one of our beloved hunters," she held her hand out splaying her fingers in the direction of one of the hunters who stood by one of the small vents in the wall of the crypt. "And I'd like to extend my generosity to you both. Do you understand me?"

Derek and Scott lifted their heads as best they could to look into the face of the woman who was dealing them their torture waiting for her to make her point.

"Good," she began to pace back and forth in front of them. "I've been informed that my daughter and her ragtag group of misfits are on their way here. And I've also been told that one of your, let's say, feral, friends is on her way as well. Now I know that you both have been divising some sort of escape plan, and I think it's admirable that you would even consider that, but I feel like I should warn you of the danger that you both are in. You see, this has all been leading up to what's about to happen in say," she looked at her watch, "about fourty-five minutes, and I can promise you that one of you are not going to make it out alive. However, I will not have you here with anything less than a fighting chance because, let's be real, who doesn't like a challenge? So I've ordered a few of my hunters to fix you somewhat of a last meal. Oh boys!"

At Amara's call two men entered with dog bowls full of kibble and water on two silver trays and stood at either side of the tall impending woman.

"See, I'm really not such a bad person after all, am I? Now I'll let you both down so you can eat in peace, but I will chain you both to the floor in a manner befitting the dogs you are."

The two hunters who walked in carrying the trays placed them on the table that held the control for the electric wires and walked over to undo the shackles that held the boys' hands in place. Both hunters took their time and undid Scott's shackles first before they chained him to the floor and placed the bowls of food and water in front of him.

He looked up into the eyes of Derek as they started to undo his shackles but, as if in the blink of an eye, Derek lashed out as soon as his hand was free and slashed at the chest of one of the hunters causing blood to soak through the gash in his shirt. The other hunter, being smaller that the one who now laid on the floor, flinched as claws made contact with the side of his face and sent him sprawling to the floor.

Amara, outraged at what she saw, raised a hand that caused Derek to freeze in his spot, glowing red eyes and fangs still barred. "How dare you? How dare you soil my hospitality?" Scott looked as the shackles around Derek's ankles undid themselves and Derek was lifted into the air. "Your defiance, just like my daughter, will be the end of you!" A strangled sound escaped Derek's lips and he was thrown into the wall and then brought back in front of Amara. "You have no idea who you're dealing with or what you've just done!" She looked down at Scott who had eyes wide and full of fear and held her other hand out at him.

He felt his body seize and begin to lift off the floor. The chains around his wrists and the shackles around his ankles undid themselves and fell to the ground in a metallic clatter. He brought his hands to his neck, reaching at nothing but he felt the pressure of hands around his neck. Scott looked over at Derek who started to speak in a strangled voice.

"I know who I'm dealing with. I'm dealing with a low down, conniving and muniplulative, insecure person who's a disgrace to witches everywhere!" Derek's eyes still glowed bright red at his willingness to not let Amara think she has the upper hand. Now that he was free his plan was already halfway complete. "And the only person who's not going to leave here alive is you!"

The cars pulled up and parked in front of the gate that led into the old graveyard. Getting out of the cars they were instantly assaulted by the smell of old death and ash. Looking around in the dark and the fog that creeped through the charred headstones Jackson felt a chill run down his back.

"So I guess it's now or never," Jackson said looking over the hood of Stiles' Jeep at the rest of the group that all stood staring into the cemetary.

"Yup," Stiles said shoving his hands in his pockets. "So if anyone wants to back out now I don't think anyone would blame them." He looked around but was met with glances that asked if he really just said that. "What, I've wanted to say that since forever. Morgan, are you ready to do what it is you have to do?"

"Yeah, I think so." Morgan pulled the bag she had brought with her up onto her shoulder.

"You think so," Jackson asked raising an eyebrow at Morgan.

"No, I know so." Morgan was trying to placate herself more than she was Jackson because, in all honesty, she didn't feel like she was ready. She'd been practicing on her own whenever she could but no matter how much you prepare you don't know what's going to happen until it's do or die. Part of her now wished that she had called her priestess for help but another part of her knew that no matter how much help she asked for it would still be her in the end. "Yeah, I'm ready. Let's just get through this."

There they were, all standing in a row prepared to go into battle, prepared to fight for their friends, their families, and their homes. Some about to give more than others, and others about to get more than they put in, but they were ready and tired, and willing to go on.

From a black SUV that pulled up just after them, headlights off and at a silent crawl, three pairs of eyes watched the five young adults step pass the threshold and into the thick fog that swallowed them up.

"Well Aidyn, I'll give you this, it was a good idea to follow the girl."

"I told you Joanna," Aidyn said as he pulled on black leather gloves. "Following the girl would lead us to something interesting." Rebecca looked at the two from her seat behind the wheel. "Now let's get out there and follow them before they disappear. Oh, and Rebecca, tell Amanda that we know where Victoria's daughter is. And tell her to let Victoria know that it would be in her best interest to get here."

Victoria and Chris looked over from where they had been putting guns into the back of the SUV as Amanda walked up to them with a small squeak.

"Yes, Amanda?" Chris turned to the girl giving her his full attention.

"I've just received word from the Counsel that they've followed your daughter and found her at the old graveyard across town." Amanda shrank under the scrutiny of Victoria's glare but continued on. "And they thought it would be best for you to show up before they decided to take action against her as punishment for your family's indiscretions." Victoria's nostrils flared and Amanda took a step back when she saw Chris place a hand on his wife's arm. "They wanted to give you a warning before they did anything, they're just watching her now."

"So you're the one who's the spy." Victoria pulled her arm away from Chris as she took a step toward Amanda. "There's always one but I never thought it would be you. I always thought of as like a second daughter, but you can't be trusted just like the rest of them."

"Victoria," Chris warned from where he was still by the SUV.

"No, I'm not going to hurt her Chris." Victoria took another step forward towards the still shrinking girl. "But she is not welcomed in this home," she ticked each one off on her fingers, exentuating them with steps closer to the girl, "she is not welcomed among my hunters, she is not to be spoken to and I'll let it be known amongst any of the other Masters and Madams that I can that she is not to be allowed into any of their families." Amanda looked at the woman who was now her ex-madam with watery eyes. "She can go now, but I never want to hear of her again."

Amanda bowed one last time to her ex-Madam and Master before turning and walking away, wiping a tear from her eye as she went to her car.

"Victoria," Chris said once Amanda had gone.

"Don't Victoria me, Chris." She turned to her husband, fury still on her face. "She betrayed me and my family by working with the Counsel. I did her a justice by just letting her leave, she'll understand how she went wrong and she'll have to live without her family."

"But she's just a girl," Chris looked at his wife with pleading eyes but she wouldn't have it.

"That doesn't matter. She made the choice to betray me and therefore she took on the responsibilities of a woman who doesn't need her family." Victoria walked around to get in the car.

"Where are you going," Chris asked following her.

"I'm going to get my daughter and have a word or two with Aidyn." She opened the car door but was stopped when Chris put his arm across to keep her from getting in. "Move your hand Chris," she fixed her husband with one of her ice cold glares but to no avail.

"Victoria," he said evenly. "I think you need to think this out before you go and do something you'll regret."

"The only thing I'm going to regret is you not coming with me for our daughter and the beatdown I'll have to lay on you."

Chris laughed at that, "Do you hear what you just said? 'Beatdown?' Since when do you use words like beatdown?"

"Since I just got upset and I want my husband to come with me to get our daughter before she gets into any trouble. That's since when."

"Fine," Chris moved his arm to let his wife in. "Just let me get one thing before we go."

"This is the one." Jackson said as the group of wayward fighters for good stood in front of the open door of one of the biggest mausoleums in the graveyard. It stood on a hill in the middle of the cemetary and Stiles looked over his shoulder as a chill ran down his back.

"So guys." Allison said getting the groups' attention. "Do we still not have a plan for this, or are we all comfortable with just going in their guns blazing?" They all exchanged looks because they hadn't really thought of a plan but then the attention turned to Stiles because he was usually the idea guy.

"Nope," he said shaking his head. "I don't have a plan this time, which sucks because I feel like I would've had a really good one."

"I think Allison and Jackson should go for Derek and Scott." They looked at Danny who was the first to have any sort of idea as to where to start this rescue mission. "They'll be the quickest on their feet anyway, and I think we should make sure that Scott and Derek are safe before we do anything else."

"Okay, but what are Morgan and I suppose to do then?" Stiles looked from Morgan over to Danny.

"I'm going to start setting everything up for my spell." Morgan added quietly to the conversation. "It'll take some time for me to get everything set up so we'll need a distraction.

"Then that's where Stiles and I come in. We can distract Amara while Allison and Jackson are getting Derek and Scott and while you set up your stuff. Then, once we're sure that we have Derek and Scott, we can start with our attack on Amara." Danny looked at the group offereing up what could be the second part of their plan.

"So wait," Jackson said cutting in. "What kind of attack are we talking about because, all we have is one inexperienced werewolf, a hunter, a witch, and you two." He gestured to Danny and Stiles who inturn glanced at each other before fixing Jackson with twin offended glares. "I'm not saying that you guys won't be helpful, I'm just saying that maybe you guys should be a bit more conscientious about the gravity of your situation. You both don't have any skills that could be helpful in battle, and you could probably end up being more of a hinderance than a help."

"Well tell us how you really feel, Jackson." Stiles said thrusting his hands in his pocket shivering. "Did it just get colder," he asked the group who just nodded their heads but didn't say much of anything to answer. "Besides, Danny and I would be wonderful distractions! I don't know about him but I've annoyed you enough, Jackson, almost to the point of bodily harm. And who do you think was responsible for most of Derek's intense stares of disapproval and -wait for it- annoyance? I think you guys wouldn't be able to do this without me."

"He has to be there," Morgan said darkly. "It was in my Priestess' vision and he was the main reason why I got sent here. Stiles needs to be here and Danny should be too, we never know what kind of help we'll need." Just then a howl pierced the night air and the blood in Jackson's veins ran cold.

"Do I want to know what that is," Danny asked with dread dripping from his words.

"I...I don't think so." Stiles laid a hand on Danny's back in what he hoped was reassurance but he himself was scared of what it was.

Jackson swallowed hard turning to face where the howl had came from, sweat dotting his forehead even in the chill of the night. "It's Lydia."

"Lydia?" Allison said looking though wide eyes. "Lydia's not a wolf, she doesn't howl."

"She does now," Morgan said as a big hunched figure stepped out of the shadow of the trees that lined where the graveyard met the forest. They all looked in fear as a wolf that would put Peter to shame stepped into the moonlight. Hulking shoulders that slid down a long back that ended at powerful hindquarters and strong jutting legs with clawed feet that dug into the ground. The head of the beast was large and it's fur was a thick dark red, orange pupils in a pool of black stared at them over the snapping jowls of the monster. A tongue lashed out as if tasting the air and saliva dripped from it's fangs and caught the light from the moon.

Carefully they took a step back as the beast started to move toward them in slow, managed steps as if it were gauging just how afraid of it they were. The demonic force that drove the wolf became impatient and craved blood. The wolf bolted forward, long claws tearing up earth and soot as it ran. Jumping over headstones it made it's way to the kids, hunger showing on it's face.

"Run!" Morgan yelled as the kids forced themselves into the door of the mausoleum at once. The beast was close, closer than Morgan had thought. She reacted fast and threw a hand up at the beast feeling power surge through her arm and knocking the wolf back into the ground where it was running up the hill. She ran into the mausoleum and helped Allison wedge a heavy piece of stone in front of the door. No sooner had they got the stone in place did they hear the gnashing of the beast's jaws and the tear of it's claws against the cool stone of the mausoleum door.

Stepping back, Jackson, Danny and Stiles looked at the door with Allison and Morgan backing up next to them. "Do you think it'll hold," Allison asked breathless.

"Not for long." Jackson added thanking the wolf for his control over his breathing. "I think we should just get going and try to get as much as we can done before this door gives way."

"But why is she a werewolf?" Allison still wanted an answer.

"Yeah," Danny said agreeing with Allison. "From what Stiles told me, she was supposed to be something called a hybrid or whatever. She wasn't supposed to fully turn, right?"

"The only thing I can think of is that the demon inside her forced the change on her." Morgan picked up her from where it had fell to the floor. "I think that's why she's so big, her body had rejected the bit at first and then when he change was forced her body swell. She's running on pain and sadness." Danny and Allison looked at each other both sharing concern for their friend and the hell that she must be in.

"There's stairs back here." Stiles was in the back of the stately tomb bent over looking at a stairway that was tucked behind one of it's many paint chipped pillars. They all walked to where Stiles was and looked down at a daunting staircase.

"I can smell them down there," Jackson said from where he was standing to the side of the hole in the floor. "And I don't think they're doing good, they smell sick, I don't think they be much help to us at all."

"I anticipated that." They all looked over at Morgan who was holding a vial of dark green liquid that she pulled from her bag. "Give them this," she handed it over to Jackson who took it and looked at it questioningly.

"What is this," Allison asked taking the vial from Jackson to look at it closer.

"It's better if you didn't know. Just get them to drink it and they should be in a condition to actually walk away with you guys instead of having to be carried."Morgan was still digging in her bag for something when Stiles began to walk downstairs.

"Hey wait!" Jackson grabbed him by the arm and held him from going down the stairs. "Where do you think you're going? You can't just run down there like that?"

"I can't?" Stiles pulled his arm away from Jackson. "We've got a plan, and we have people down there who are sick or worse and we need to get them."

"Yeah, let's just get them." Morgan started to walk down the stairs. "Just make sure you guys take care of yourselves, I'm gonna be busy for a while and I won't be able to help you."

"Pssh, we got this." Stiles started walking down the stairs again. "Besides, what's one witch compared to all of us?"

Jackson was the last to go down the stairs, but before he did he looked over at the barricaded door where the beast still ferociously pounded against the door.

"Victoria's on her way." Rebecca closed her phone and looked over to Aidyn from where they were crouched behind a statue watching where the wolf now clawed at the crumbling door of the mausoleum where the kids had just entered.

"I don't see why we can't just kill that thing right now." Joanna said excitedly from where she had been watching the beast.

"I have a feeling that this is just the beginning on a long night, and I want to see exactly what happens before we go killing one of the players." Joanna looked at Aidyn who now had a sinister look in his eyes. "Plus there's still a human in that, I guess, and I think they deserve a fighting chance, don't you?"

"No, I don't. Look at that, you can't try to tell me that there's anything human about that. It's a monster sent here to kill and if there is a human in there they're already damned. I'd be doing it and the world a service be getting rid of it." There was an intensity behind Joanna's words that woke something up in Rebecca who, with questioning and worried eyes, looked over at Aidyn who didn't break his stare with Joanna.

"Joanna, the last time someone spoke like that they were killed by the same beast they targeted." Rebecca gave Joanna a warning look but Joanna still held Aidyn eye's captive. "I think you should reevaluate some of the things you just said."

"Why should I?" Joanna looked at Rebecca with a silent fury burning behind her eyes. "One of those abominations killed my mother! They shouldn't be allowed to walk the earth as if they have some place here!"

"Calm down Joanna." Aidyn said with finality at the woman who was becoming louder and louder, the threat of the beast that was just a few yards beoming ever more present in the silence of the night. "Do you hear that?"

Joanna threw her hands up over her head. "No, I don't hear anything."

"Exactly." Aidyn walked over to look around the statue that they were behind over at the the mausoleum door. "Where did the wolf go?"

A growl came from a few feet away from them and they turned to see the giant animal leering at them from between two blackened gravestones. A swirl of soot hung in the fog that shrouded the beast, it's eyes and the vague outline of it's massive form only showing through the thick mists. The sound of snapping jowls and claws pawing at the earth reached their ears as the beast watched them.

Joanna in a flurry of hands grabbed a knife from her belt and thre it at the beast, making contact almost instantly. A howl came from the jaws of the creature and a thick stream of dark liquid oozed from it's size steam rising from it as it hit the cold ground. In a flash the beast was running towards them on all fours, making their escape Aidyn launched an arrow at the beast landing a clear shot into the left bulging shoulder as the beast. Another howl came from the beast which then lurched back and brought one clawed hand up to rip the arrow out snapping it in half. Aidyn fell back at never seeing a wolf rip an arrow made of pure silver out without so much as a flinch.

Scrambling to his feet Aidyn ran to where Rebecca and Joanna were standing; Rebecca lauching aconite tipped arrows that did nothing where they landed in the beast, and Joanna shooting throwing stars at the beast with practiced precision. The beast continued it's rampage towards the three member of the Counsel and all seemed lost for the so called masterful werewolf hunters when, out of the blue, a lone fiery arrow pierced the night air and found purchase in the side of the fierce brute. Sprawling to the side the beast ran into cover of the woods whimpering as the arrow still burned in it's side.

"And you though it was gonna be a waste of time."

"Whatever Chris, we still have something to deal with here."

Rebecca looked up at hearing Victoria's voice and a hint of a smile fell across her lips at seeing her friend after such a long time.

They all watched from the little alcove that the stairwell emptied into, if they leaned a bit to the left they could see just past a dividing wall to where a body lay bloodied on the floor. "They're being choked," Jackson said as he and the group kept leaning trying to get a better look. Morgan, knowing clearly what was happening brought a hand up to her throat and swallowed subconsciously.

"There's another body on the floor by the wall." Danny and Jackson had a clearer view of what was going on. "I can see them, they're floating in the air and Scott's clutching at his neck."

"Yeah, and there are a lot of hunters with rifles around." Jackson told the group who couldn't see much of what was happening. "There are two big guys and, well, your mother Morgan."

"Okay let's do this." Stiles made a move to walk out into the room but was held back by Danny.

"Wait, we weren't accounting for her hunters. How are we supposed to get pass them?" He hissed a whisper at Stiles who was still trying to make his way free. Then, almost on cue, there was a lound crash that came from somewhere behind them and Amara ordered her hunters to go handle what ever that was. The group barely had enough time to squeeze into the small space under the stairs as the hunters ran up the stairs causing dirt to fall on them. One particularly heavy hunter ran up the stairs causing a lot of dust to fall on Allison who started to sneeze but Jackson put a hand over her nose stopping her just in time.

"Well that answers that question." Stiles looked up a Danny with a smirk on his face.

"Do you guys remember what you have to do?" Danny whisperes to the group as what sounded like fighting and yelling came from upstairs.

"Yeah." Stiles gestured loosely to him and Danny, "we're the decoys, Allison and Jackson are going to free Derek and Scott, and Morgan's gonna do her witch thing. So let's go." Allison and Jackson got in position to run out to get Derek and Scott, Morgan ran off to start setting up her stuff. Stiles put a hand on Danny's arm and held him back from going over to distract Amara. "I think you should wait here."

"What?" Danny looked at Stiles not comprehending how it would make sense for him stay back. " No, I'm going to help you guys."

"Danny, I really think you should just stay back in case anything happens." Stiles fixed Danny with pleading eyes.

"What do you mean in case anything happens?" Danny whispered so as to not catch the attention of a now increasingly agitated Amara at the absense of her hunters. "Of course something is going to happen we're dealing with witches and werewolves right now."

"I know," Stiles still hand his hand on Danny's arm. "I've dealt with stuff like this before and I know how bad it can get, and I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm not going to get hurt, Stiles." Danny turned to fully face the other boy, hoping to placate him with his words. "I'm not going to get hurt. I'm pretty sure I can deal with whatever gets thrown my way."

"You think you can but you won't know until after it's happened and by then it might be too late." Danny saw a quoet desperation in Stiles eyes when he looked at the boy. "Fine, I'll stay," Danny exasperatedly. "I'll just wait right here, and I don't know, knit."

"Do you knit," Stiles asked tilting his head to the side.

"No." Danny deadpanned, but Stiles squeezed his arm and made his way over to start distracting Amara.

"So do you see what we've been dealing with?" Rebecca looked at Victoria wiping blood from her lip where the beast had clipped her as it ran back at them.

"But I shot it with a flaming arrow. It ran away!" Chris' eyes were wide as he saw the wolf do away with one of the big hunters that had come streaming out of the door of the mausoleum.

"Yeah, and I shot it with an arrow made of pure silver and it snapped it in half." Aidyn ran over to help Rebecca to her feet. "This thing is different from anything I've seen before."

"Joanna!" Victoria yelled for the woman who was running at the beast with a machete at her side. "She's going to get herself killed. She's never been this reckless. What happened to her?"

"Rebecca thought it would be a good idea to tell her that her mother had been killed by a wolf." Rebecca shot Aidyn a look that screamed that he wasn't suppose to say anything about that. "Ever since then she's just been on a rampage at anything that even remotely looks like a werewolf."

"I thought we weren't going to lie to the girl anymore, Rebecca." Victoria looked at her friend with eyes that were tired of lies. "You can't get ddoing this to her, she has to know about..."

"I don't want her knowing! Not yet at least, I need more time." Rebecca pulled her bow back and fired a shot at the beast the arrow landing in it's thigh, but it went unnoticed as it tore into another one of the hunters.

"God dammit! We're not doing anything to it!" Chris was fed up and reaching his last arrow. "What the hell is that thing?"

"I don't know, Chris." Aidyn pulled his handgun from it's hoister and started firing shots at the monster. "But whatever the hell it is we have to kill it, there are kids down there and it was trying to get in."

"Kids?" Victoria's eyes widened. "Is my daughter down there."

"We wouldn't be here if she wasn't." Rebecca took two arrows from their sheath and fired them simultaneaouly at the ferocious creature that was thrashing at any of the hunters who got too close for their own good. "We followed her to get you to come to us and when we got here this thing was after them. They managed to get in but this thing was still going after them, it was halfway through the door when it turned on us and if you guys hadn't gotten here when you did we'd probably be dead by now."

"Don't thank us just yet." Chris straightened his back and brought a hand up to wipe at his nose. "We've still got to get rid of this thing and right now we're not doing such a bang up job."

"Would you guys like to stop talking and actually help us?" Joanna ran up to them breathless, 'If you haven't noticed, they're kind of getting their asses kicked."

"They?" Rebecca quirked an eyebrow up at Joanna.

"Well, I'm not the one who's trying to get in close with the beast."

"Yeah you are. If you weren't you wouldn't have ran over there with that machete." Aidyn gestured to the bloodied knife in her hand. "Looks like you did some damage."

"Barely, that things like a juggernaut." Joanna wiped at the sweat off her brow and and bent over and put her hands on her knees. "It's like it doesn't feel anything, and all the ammo we've wasted on it it should be down by now."

"Our goal is not to kill it, we think there's ahuman in there." Aidyn fired another shot at the monster.

"Is the Counsel really talking about not killing a wolf because they fear a human might be in there?" Victoria looked at the members of the Counsel one-by-one. "Sincve when did the Counsel become a bunch of humanitarians?"

"Since Kate decided to go all rebel and kill innocent people." Joanna spate the words out without aiming at Chris even though the words were directed at him.

"I don't appreciate you talking about my sister like that." Chris let his crossbow fall to his side.

"Sister? I find that laughable. She was a pscho, and the only reason why we didn't come do anything about her was because all we had to work with were rumors passed around at night." Joanna's glare now matched the one that Chris was giving her, and she stepped forward when he took a step towards her. "If I had it my way," she said the words slowly and into Chris' face, "she'd have been dead long before that alpha decided to come back and take his revenge." There was a sickening smack as Victoria's hand made contact with Joanna's face.

"I will not have you talking about my family like that." Joanna stepped in front of Chris and fixed Joanna with a glare so sharp it would crack ice. "Now my hisban is a gentleman and he won't hit a woman, but I have no problem with hitting a bitch!"

"A bitch?" Joanna choked out over a laugh. "You're calling me a bitch? Let's talk about how you shunned poor Amanda because she was working with us, let's talk about how you knowingly let your daughter date a wolf, let's talk about how much of a heartless bitch you were to me as a child!"

"I was never heartless to you! I was following orders from the Counsel, and I was warned against treating you as anything other that the protege you didn't turn out to be." Victoria sqaured her shoulders and looked deep into Joanna's eyes. "You were a mistake, I shouldn't have taken you under my wing, you've done nothing but proven yourself as an embarrassment."

"Following orders? Following orders?" Joanna was raising her voice now, any thought of the monster that battled poor under equipped hunters behind them. "I was a motherless child, Victoria, all I wanted was for someone to show me some kind of compassion and all you did was hold me at the edge of a blade. I just wanted you to love me and you never did that! That was all I wanted!"

"I couldn't do that!" Victoria's fury broke and a tear fell from her eye. "You weren't mine to love." Chris looked around lost because this was his firest time hearing anything about this, but he looked up when Rebecca started to speak.

"You were mine." Her voice was small and broken, her eyes filled with tears as she watched the exchange between Victoria and Joanna. "Aidyn and I had started to becme close back when I was just a young protege; he was getting taught by one of the older Masters and me and elder Madam. We fell in love fast, and we fell in love recklessly like most people at that age do. I got pregnant, and was sent away to one of the families on the east coast. When I had the child I refused to give it up for adoption like Aidyn had wanted and I wouldn't let the Elders take it away from me. I met Victoria one evening while I sat on a park bench with you clutched in my arms. I had seen her around before while I was training and she wanted to know what was wrong. I told her my story and she got the Counsel to agree to let her raise you as a protege even though she was still pretty young. I'm sorry I never told you before, Joanna, but Aidyn and I agreed that it would be best if you didn't know. I'm sorry, Joanna, I really am."

"Screw you." Joanna's words were soft and her voice harsh. "Screw you and the Counsel! You let me believe that my mother was killed. That the only person I imagined to want me was killed by a wolf, and now you tell me this? After all these years you and him lied to me, and treated me as an equal when all you were doing were trying to compensate for all over the crap you put me through. Well I'm sorry, I don't forgive you. You don't get to feel better about lying to me and ruining my life." She ran off with tears streaming down her face over to where the wolf was still on it's unrelenting rampage and sank her machete into the side of the beast.

"Joanna!" Rebecca, Aidyn, and Victoria called when the beast knocked her to the side sending her flying into the cold marble of the large tomb, and crashing to the floor in an unconscious heap.

"Is this what you do?" Chris asked the two members of the Counsel. "Do you just come around and ruin everything? We were fine until you got here, we had everything under control and now what? You've broken an already damaged girl and no matter what you try to do to make this better you can't. I knew it was a mistake the moment the Counsel was agreed upon, it was just a way for a few men to feel like they had more power than the rest of us."

"Chris, you had better watch your tongue." Aidyn warned.

"No, he doesn't have to." Victoria spoke up now, her cool authoritative tone returning as the tears she had over Joanna shown in her eyes. "He's right, that was a wonderful girl and it killed me every day when I had to look her in the eye and not tell her just how much she meant to me. The Counsel is a poison on everything the Argent name stood for, and it's become more of a farce than a force to be reckoned with. If we survive this night the Argents are taking back control of the hunters, the way our ancestors would have wanted it to be."

Morgan looked from around the pillar that she had decided to use as cover and saw Stiles saunter into the large room and tap her mother on the shoulder.

"Excuse me madam, but I believe you have a few things that belong to me."

She watched as her mother looked over her shoulder, face distorted with sick pleasure at watching Scott and Derek squirm. "Who are you?"

"I'm Stiles, Morgan's friend." She was astonished at how calm he was under the scrutinizing eye of her mother. "And I'm here to tall Scott and Derek that we're here to save them and maybe get rid of you."

Morgan cussed under her breath at how long it was taking her to step up; her hand flew as she set up the small altar and her mouth a blur as she mumbled the prayers and chants required to call the forces needed to elp her with her spell. There was a crash and she looked up to see Scott laying on the floor and Stiles now strung up in the air clutching at his throat.

"You know, you're not that bad to look at." Stiles croaked as he never lost eye contact with Amara. "Maybe if you weren't so crazy killer witch you'd be able to get a date." Morgan looked over at Scott who was now getting some of the elixir she had mixed from Allison.

"I have a husband you idiot." Her mother said, giving her attention to the boy as Derek began to lower to ground. Her mother was good, Morgan had to give her that, but she alwas sucked when it came to concentration. In a flurry of tan skin Scott crashed into Amara effectively killing her concentration and letting Derek fall to the floor. The vial flew over the mess of bodies on the floor and landed in the hand of Jackson.

"Derek!" Jackson said as he pulled his alpha to him resting his head on his lap. "You need to drink this." He went to pour it in Derek's mouth, but in his confusion Derek fussed with him. "Derek,"" Jackson said a bit more forcefully. "If you want to get better and cut off that bitch's head you're going to need this." He brought the vial to Derek's lips and the liquid poured almost agonizingly slowly into his mouth. Jackson held his head in his lap and waited for the elixer to take hold and cussed under his breath, it hadn't taken this long for Scott.

"Jackson!" Allison ran over and slid on her knees landing beside the two boys. "What's happening? Why isn't he getting up?"

"I don't know," there was a desperation behind Jackson's words. "I think it's because he was here longer, I mean who knows what she must have done to him? He doesn't look to good, and he's burning up."

"But he's a wolf, isn't he always hot?" Allison hoped her words didn't sound as insensitive as she thought but Jackson took them offensively.

"That doesn't mean anything. He's still a human and this would probably lead to some kind of..." Jackson looked down and Derek started to move a bit.

"You guys realy need to stop talking so much." Derek quipped and Jackson sort of sighed at how he sounded a bit more like himself. "Help me sit up."

Jackson and Allison moved Derek into a sitting position and he saw Scott and Stiles tangled up with the woman who had been the warden or his hell for what felt like a week.

"What do you think you guys are doing?" He turned to look at Jackson and Allison who both looked like lost children in over their heads.

"We're saving you life. last time I checked." Jackson answered annoyance at not being welcomed showing on his face.

"Is that what you call this?" Derek sighed and stood up. "Who else is here beside you guys?"

"Well, just Morgan and Danny but, Stiles told Danny to stay out of this and Morgan working on a spell to take care of her mother." Jackson answered as he and Allison stood by his side watching as Scott was thrown against a wall and Amara stood up with Stiles still suspended in the air.

"Allison, I want to you give Morgan some backup, what ever she's doing I'm sure she'll need it, and as long as Danny stays out of this we won't have to worry about him. Jackson, I want you to go help Scott, he needs it." Allison ran off to go be with Morgan.

"And what are you going to do?" Jackson asked as he began his shift.

"I'm going to tak care of this." A crash came from where the stairs were and Danny was thrown into the room landing with a heavy thud on the floor next to Amara's feet. The large creature that was Lydia ran into the room and began to go after Jackson. Derek intercepted yelling for Jackson to go help with Amara as he bagen to change into his alpha form.

"Danny!" Stiles yelled with strangled words.

He looked up at Stiles and then into the eyes of Amara, the cold green-grey eyes of the woman who was responsible for everything that had happened recently in Beacon Hills. He swallowed hard and looked back to the warm brown eyes of Stiles that were now becoming red from lack of oxygen. Sensing something between the two Amara let Stiles fall to the floor coughing for air, and picked up Danny instead.

Scott ran for Amara but was thrown aside with a wave of her hand because now she had something that really interested her. "You're the two boys from when I had taken over that pathetic beta's eyes. Oh this is too good! Look at how he's looking at you, look!" Amara turned Danny so that he was facing Stiles, breathing hard and eyes starting to water he looked down into the terrified eyes of the boy he cared about. "Do you see that look? That's the look of fear and desperation; that's the look you have when you think you might lose someone you care about, isn't it powerful?"

Jackson tried to run at Amara from behind but she deflected him without turning from where she was watching the two boys having their silent conversation.

"Stiles is your name, right? What would you do if I ended him right now, what if I decided to crush his windpipe and scratch him off the face of the earth? What would you do then? Hmm? Anser me!"

Stiles choked as his eyes darted from Danny to Amara. "I...I...I..."

"I...I...I think I hear the sound of someone who doesn't know what he wants. I think I hear a scared little boy who doesn't know how to prioritize his time. How much time have you spen on yourself, Stiles? How much time have you devoted to Scott and Allison, to Derek and the idiot Jackson? You even let my daughter take up some of your time! You're as pathetic as she is!"

Lydia crashed through one of the pillars and the beast snarled as Derek sank his fangs into her neck. In a flurry of fangs, fur and claws they scrambled on the floor snapping and tearing at each other. Slashing at Derek's stomach Lydia slid back on the floor, her nails leaving gashes in the floor, and she stood watching Derek broad shoulders heaving up and down with each breath. Black rimmed eyes watching burning red eyes.

"Get out of her!" Derek snapped his jowls at the towering beast.

"There is no her! There is only me!" The garbled voice of the demon seeped from behind the red glistening fangs of the wolf.

"Lydia! I know you can hear me! You have to fight this!" Derek hoped he could reach the girl that was somewhere inside the gargantuan monstrosity. "You have people here who are fighting for you! People here who love you and want you back!"

Something inside Lydia stirred in the darkness of her wolven cell. "Derek," she whispered, voice harsh from crying in her throat.

"Hahahahahaha! Who do you think you're calling? She can't here you, she can't do anything. She is mine!" The jaws of the beast snapped and it's tongue lashed as it spoke to Derek. "That's the problem with you humans, you have hope. It's a disgusting thing, hope, and there's no need for it when all life is despair and darkness. No wonder so many of you give up, they see the truth that is the lie of a happy life."

"No! No! NO!" Stiles' eyes filled with dread as he saw Danny's body seize up and his hands fall limply to his side. "Danny!"

"Oops." Amara let Danny's limp form fall unceremoniously to the floor. "Looks like you should have made up your mind a little bit quicker. Pity actually, he was kind of cute...you know, if you're into the lost forlorn puppy in love look." Stiles rocketed to his feet and tackled Amara who was laughing to herself. Scott seeing Danny on the floor tackled Amara along with Stiles and they both managed to get her on the floor.

Jackson jumped in to help them. "Morgan! It would be really good if you were done with what ever it is you're doing!"

"Allison, I'm not done, can you go help them? I need a bit more time." Morgan looked up from where she was still trying to get the help she was promised.

"Fine." Allison got up and nocked an arrow on her bow. "Just hurry up."

"Yeah, I'll be right there. I just need a little more time."

"Well then let's get you some." Allison fired a shot at Amara that landed in her forearm, a howl of pain came from where the woman was still being held under the pile of boys.

"She's still alive." Victoria looked up from where she had crouched next to Joanna once the beast had left. "I think you should take her and leave, let us handle that monster."

"You aren't equipped well enough to handle that thing." Aidyn was still standing but Rebecca had kneeled down beside Victoria and was trying to get Joanna to wake up.

"I don't think that matters at this point." Chris fixed Aidyn with a determined glare. "Our daughter is down there with that monster, and I don't think a few knives and a couple bullets is going to stop us from fighting for her. But then again, I wouldn't expect you to understand seeing as how you gave up your daughter under the orders of the Counsel you now run." Aidyn clamped his mouth shut and a sour expression came across his face because he knew that Chris was right. He had fought for everything in his life except for the one thing that really mattered.

Aidyn looked at Chris and squared his shoulders. "Good luck then, and don't get killed."

"We won't." Victoria stood and swung her sawed-off shotgun up on her shoulder. "We've got someone worht fight for." She stepped into the dank air of the mausoleum with Chris behind her and coughed at the dust that was falling from when the beast barged through the too small door. She called over her shoulder one last time before walking into the dark and down the stairs ready for what ever it was they were going have to face."You had better get her and go, she's not going to be any help here."

Victoria and Chris walked down the narrow stairway that led to the underground crypt, the sounds of scuffling, yelling, and claws on stone reverberated off the walls. They tried to discern the voices but the every present shrieking of the witch and the growling of the wolves overpowered every other sound.

"Scott!" Allison's voice carried through the air and met her parents ears as they landed at the final step standing in the small alcove where debris now lay from where the beast had crashed down the stairs. They stepped into the large room and looked at the scene that lay before them; the beast that had nearly claimed the life of Joanna and a smaller wolf with dark fur were rolling on the floor in a ball of gnashing teeth, Amara -the woman Victoria shot- now stood over Stiles and another tan skinned boy with her arm bloodied, Scott was in a battered heap in the corner with Allison leaning over him, and Jackson crouched on the floor readying himself for another attack at Amara. Victoria raised her gun and aimed at Derek determined to cut the population of wolves in this room down to at least half.

"Mrs. Argent?" A small voice came from somewhere to her side.

Victoria and Chris turned to look at a small girl with curly dark hair wearing a long dark coat and boots that are too big for her, Chris' brow wrinkled at the girl.

"Who are you?" His tone was a little intense but he really didn't mean it to sound so aggravated, the girl flinched anyway under his glare.

"That's not what's important right now. I know that you both are werewolf hunters but you can't shoot either one of them."

"Why is that?" Victoria didn't lower her gun but.

"Because one of them is your daughter's friend, Lydia, the other one is Derek Hale and he's trying to help us. I'm working on a way to get rid of the demon that's in Lydia, and I'm going to try and take down my mother." Morgan looked up at the two hunters determined to hold their twin glares.

"You're not going to stop us from saving our daughter." Chris' glare was intense and his words filled with his willful intent to do whatever he needed for his daughter.

"And I'm not asking you to," Morgan put her hand up in a show of no harm. "I just want you to not kill anyway, it would defeat the purpose of almost everything we've done so far."

"Fine, I won't kill them, but that won't stop me from fatally harming them." Victoria aimed her gun at the thing that was Lydia and fired, the impact of the bullet causing the beast to fall to one side. "Well it's getting weaker, I guess we should let this Derek live for a little bit longer."

The monster turned it's attention from Derek to look at who had shot it, it's eyes locked on to the gun in Victoria's hand that was still aimed at it. Derek noticing the break in the creature's focus lunged forward and sank his teeth into the neck of the monster drawing thick dark blood that coated the floor at their feet. Flailing the creature tried to get it's claws into Derek's chest but Derek's hold was too strong and he easily evaded any of the strikes the monster tried to land.

"You!" Amara yelled when she set eyes on Victoria. "I've been after you since you thought it was a good idea to shoot me!" She swiped away at Jackson and stepping over Stiles who was trying to wake an unconscious Danny gestured to Chris. "Is this your husband? Congratulations, you snagged yourself a looker! I never would have pegged you as one for the strong silent type but I can't say I'm surprised."

"Mom?" Allison looked at her mother and father who were standing next to Morgan with Amara making her way over to them.

"And that's your daughter?" Amara turned to look back at Victoria. "Well don't we have a little family reunion going on here. I have to say that this is just all kinds of exciting, don't you think? I mean look at this wonderful setup we have here; wolves, the torn affections of two teens, your daughter and her Baskerville boyfriend, and her." Amara shot a cold look at Morgan who was standing next to Chris. "Honestly I don't think we could've asked for a better one even if I hadn't set it up." Just then Joanna stumbled down the stairs with Aidyn and Rebecca following her. "And what do we have here?"

"What the hell are you guys still doing here?" Victoria hissed at Aidyn as Joanna stumbled to the floor in front of Amara.

"Joanna!" Rebecca yelled raising her gun up at Amara who looked down at the mess of a woman at her feet. Jackson looked up as that familiar scent wafted to him again and he looked over to where the woman with the ponytail was now at the feet of Amara and something surged within him.

"What's going on here? What's with this new development, and why are you pointing a gun at me?" Amara looked between the two women and didn't see where Jackson was now running at her fangs barred and claws extended ready to draw blood. He sank his claws into Amara just below where her collarbone showed under her dress. Morgan watched as some of her mother's blood fell to the floor and she ran back to her makeshift altar, this was the last bit she needed.

Morgan finished her incantation; there was a blast of wind that washed over her and then enveloped her mother, sweeping her off her feet. Amara held up her hand trying to knock Jackson off of her but it was to no avail. "Now! She can't use her powers!"

Derek didn't need to be told twice, he flung Lydia into the wall and charged at the still suspended Amara. Leaping into the air, clear over Jackson, he sunk his jaws into the soft flesh at the nape of Amara's neck closing over the puncture marks of Jackson's claws. He bite down, the crunch of bone echoed in the dim of the crypt, and drew blood that ran down the front of her dress causing the thin fabric to stick to her skin. Amara's eyes were wide as the pain of the bite set in and she felt Derek's fangs go deeper into her body. Her breathing became labored and she gasped for air like a fish out of water; lungs collapsing and filling she coughed up blood that began to run down her chin and splatter on the floor in pitiful drops.

Morgan looked with wide eyes as she watched her mother die in the jaws of an alpha wolf. Her mother was dying and here she ws not trying to help her, in fact, she could say that her mother was dying because of her. She had cast the spell that blocked her mother's powers just enough so that the final blow could be struck and now here she was watching silent tears fall down her mother's eyes and she felt nothing; not remorse or anything that could signify some sadness as the living bond between her and her mother faded with her mother's life. Her eyes flitted across the room and it was like seeing a scene from a movie that was slowed down; Stiles held Danny's head in his lap as he looked up Amara, Jackson stood staring at the sight of Derek's jaws wrapped around the woman, Scott and Allison with hands clasped watched as the woman who was responsible for everything slowly died, and there was even something akin to reverance on the faces of Victoria and Chris as they saw Derek shudder with trying not to snap her in half. Everyone was silent, except for the monstrosity that now dragged itself to it's feet and started it's run at Derek.

"No!" Morgan's eyes flew wide and she threw a hand up at the laboring beast feeling a power stonger than before flow through her arm. She felt a hand on her wrist as she looked to her side to see the face of her Priestess at her side, lips drawn tight and eyes focused on the charging beast. Morgan, feeling validated at her Priestess' help poushed harder and the beast was knocked into the air, teeth gnashing and nails clawing at the air it continued it's not futile charge at Derek. Hearing Morgan yell Derek released his hold on Amara who then fell to the floor in a pool of her own blood. He turned to look at the beast who's orange and black eyes blazed with fury as it still pawed the air trying to get to Derek.

"Allison!" Morgan called over the rush that now filled the room. "Get me that leaf with writing on it from my bag! Hurry!" Allison dropped Scott's hand and ran behind the pillar where Morgan had set up her small altar and dug through the girl's purse, finding the large green leaf that had strange writing on it. She unfurled it and ran over to Morgan holding it up so she could read it. Morgan looked at Allison with thanks in her eyes and began to recite the spell, the voice of her Priestess sounding along with hers.

By the creativity of the Maiden this spell was written,

Sustained by the unending energy of the Mother,

The Crone of great power dissolves your unwanted form

And banish you from this place forever more! As I will it!

So mote it be!

Morgan looked into the eyes of the beast and saw the eyes of the demented spirit that housed itself inside of Lydia and smiled as she repeated the spell again. Her voice and the voice of her Priestess were as one and every syllable was accented by the sound of scythes cutting the air that the beast was now trapped in. Everyone in the room covered their ears as a hellish screeching came from within the beast along with the sound a girl's scream. Allison's eyes went wide and she took her hands from her hears and looked at Morgan.

"Stop! You're hurting Lydia! Can't you hear her screaming." Allison took a step back when Morgan turned to look at her. She was shocked at what she saw, Morgan's eyes now shown bright in the dark of the stifling tomb.

"Get back!" Morgan's voice came out as if she had said the words a thousand times at once. A powerful pulse sliced through the air of the room and everyone was forced back to the wall. Eyes burning bright Morgan turned back to the beast and began to say the spell again, a thousand voices all coming from the small girl.

Scott made his way next to Stiles who held a still unconscious Danny. "What's going on with Morgan? Should we be worried? I mean, I've never seen anything like this."

Stiles looked at his friend and then back to Morgan, "Well she did say she was a legacy witch, maybe this is her legacy?" Scott looked back at Morgan and was silent, speechless at what Stiles had said and what he was now watching.

The howling of the beast and the screams of Lydia got more and more intense the more Morgan reapeated the spell. There was the sound of ripping, of tearing flesh, and they all watched as the beast that was now in the funnel of twisting air began to lurch and bend in unnatural ways. Morgan was bathed in a white light and she turned her attention from the monster to Stiles.

"Genim."

Stiles looked up at Morgan, the unfamiliar voice that called his name coming from her lips. He swallowed as he voice continued on.

"Call her to you. Call her to you so that she might be saved." Morgan's eyes blazed as she looked at Stiles, her expression blank and unwavering.

"I...I don't know what I'm supposed to do? How..What am I supposed to say?" There was a frantic look in Stiles' eyes at having been put on the spot at a moment like this. He rememberd Morgan saying something about him being important but he didn't think she would mean now.

"She needs to hear the voice of someone with a selfless heart, just call her name so that she'll have a way out of the darkness. She's lost, Genim, and you are the only person hear who can reach her." Morgan's eyes were unchanges as she looked at Stiles.

"But...but I'm not selfless." Stiles shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about, I'm a selfish person; I was so upset when Scott started spending more time Allison, and I was annoyed when I had to give up one of the first and only times I would've gotten to play becase I was stuck with Derek, and I hated Jackson for having Lydia. I'm not a selfless person..." Stiles exhaled and his shoulders fell with it. "I'm not."

"But you are. A selfish person wouldn't be able to admit it to themselves. You have a brutal honesty about you; when Scott was turned you were there to keep him grounded by telling him the truth, you helped Derek when he was sick from that bullet Kate shot him with, or should I talk about how you help me even though I'm a mess? Stiles, you're about as selfless as they come and right now Lydia needs you." Some semblance of Morgan returned to her voice, her face lost some of it's rigidity and Stiles was sure he saw some of Morgan show through.

"Lydia." Stiles looked away from Morgan, his face set tight as he called the hellish creature that had consumed the small redhead girl he's been in love with for so long. "Lydia." He looked to Scoot and gestured for him to take Danny as he stood to his feet. "Lydia look at me!" The best snapped it's neck back and looked at Stiles with a grin tht made his blood run cold.

"I'm sorry, Lydia's not in at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep." The beast was now toying with Stiles, letting the voice of the girl come through it's black poisonous lips.

"Lydia you have to fight this!" Stiles was yelling now, furious that this monster could take the life of one of his frineds with a grain of salt. "We want you here, we need you here! You're a part of this family and even though things haven't been good lately we all still love you." Danny stirred in Scott's lap, he looked down just as the tan boy opened his eyes blinking as he tried to remember where he was. "We need you here, Lydia! There are people here who've...who've watched you for so long and saw what an amazing person you are, and there are people here who want to see you go places with you life. You can't give up like this, you have to fight against this thing and come back to us. We love you, Lydia...I love you." Stiles let his shoulders fall, and Danny closed his eyes as the words that still hung in the air sank into him. "So you have to come back, because I want you here. Because I need you hear, and honestly every day that I've had to go without being able to see you shine like I know you can has been hell for me. And...and I don't want to live in a world where you don't smile and it reach your eyes."

The rush of air in the room shifted, everyone looked around as the air became somewhat breathable again and the dank of the room didn't seem so daunting. Danny pulled himself up, air reaching his lungs more easily now, and leaned heavily against the wall catching every breath he missed; his eyes never left Stiles though, not even when everyone looked at Lydia. There was the smell of burning flesh, the pull of fabric and dirt as the funnel touched ground. A chasm, circular and dark as pitch, opened where the funnel and floor met and the screams of the tortured and damned tainted the air. Danny never looked away from Stiles who held an arm up to protect his face. The creature flailed as it was ripped, torn, from the body of Lydia. Hair as bright as fire swirling out of fur as dark as blood, pale soft skin showing under the tacky gray/brown of thick hide, eyes turning from a black rimmed orange into a glowing green.

"Stiles?" The girls' voice chimed through as a stillness settled on the air. Stiles looked up into the wonderful green eyes that have been the reason for so much of his pain and his longing.

"Lydia?" A smile, small at first, hinted at the side of his lips but then stretched to his ears as Lydia's feet -not paws- touched the cold stone floor of the tomb. He ran to hold her up from where she had started to tremble on weak ankles, body still wracked from feeling every blow that was dealt to the beast that held her captive within her body.

"I heard your voice, you...you pulled me through the darkness." She looked up into his eyes, green meeting brown and seeing each other for the first time. "I was so scared, and no matter how much I screamed it was like no one heard me. When I was ready to give up, and let it have me, I heard you calling my name and it was like a ray of sun in a hundred years of dark days." Stiles looked into Lydia's eyes, holding her close to his chest, looking for anything that shouldn't belong but finding nothing but Lydia. "You saved me, Stiles." Lydia leaned up tentatively, hesitating but not for long. Stiles pressed his lips against the lipgloss free pillowed lips of the only girl he's ever had his eyes on and breathed her in; she smelled of jasmine and autumn air, her lips tasting of citrus and soft lavender. Her skin was soft, almost like the petal of rose plucked too soon. Eyes closed, eyelash brushed against cheek and tongue ventured bravely where it hadn't before. Lip over tongue and tongue over lip they breathed each other in, feeling whole in that moment.

Jackson looked away uncomfortably; Derek shifted back to his human form, the threat of Amara, the demon and Lydia gone, and the left corner of his lips twitched ever so slightly; Scott looked across the hall, his brown eyes finding Allison, and the flash of a white smile when the look was returned. But Danny never took his eyes off Stiles; not when he told Lydia he loved her, not when she fell into his arms, and not when they kissed. There was a pang in his chest and Danny clenched his eyes forcing the feeling away. He knew that he wouldn't be able to have Stiles and he was upset that ever thought he could. He had gotten used to pushing away this feeling, when you end up dating guys that are everything you don't want you have to. He leaned off of the wall and squared his shoulders as Lydia and Stiles pulled away from each other to look each other in the eyes.

"Well I think it's safe to say that we don't have anything left to worry about." Morgan sid but slumped against the wall, spent. Alliosn kneeled down to help her but was shooed away as Morgan.

"Are you okay, Morgan? What's wrong?" Allison's eyes searched over Lydia but she was stopped before she could lay a hand on her.

"I'm fine. You should be hugging that sweet boyfriend of yours, I'm sure you two are just as relieved as everyone else." Morgan waved her on when Allison began to hesitate. "I'm fine, I promise." She had never used that much power and now she was tired, her breathing was hard but she maintained that she would be fine even when the Argents offered her help.

To be continued...

a/n: Someone had mentioned to me one time about who they thought would deal the death blow to Amara, and I honestly thought it would've been Morgan, but I'm happy it was Derek. And I won't feel bad if anyone hates me after this chapter because I did not -I promise you I did NOT- plan on that happening between Lydia and Stiles. I feel like I lost the chapter somewhere through the middle. I know I noticed that my writing style changed during the story.

I want to thank everyone who has read this mess up until now and I apologize again for the long chapter, I just didn't want to have to break it up and end up with 13 chapters. Chapter 12 is going to be shorter, or rather...I plan to make Chapter 12 short. I haven't written it yet. But like I said, many thanks to all who's read and reviewed, and I don't know what I'm going to do after this but we'll see.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is set up like a choose your own adventure. This comes at the prompt of a couple reviewers who had really good ideas for how I should end this series(?). I've put links in the story to where the endings are posted on my Tumblr account. I hope you guys enjoy.
> 
> (just add "words with vaudoux ((all one word)) dot tumblr dot" to the beginning of the links)
> 
> Also I apologize for any grammatical errors.

Jackson looked at the blood under his nails and around at the aftermath of what happened. Rocks strewn across the floor, a broken pillar was crumbling, claw marks were on the wall, the crypt had become less of a resting place and more of a scene from a creature flick. The tangy smell of the blood on the floor stung his nose. He sniffed, that familiar scent and his eyes landed on the woman that was still on the floor. He walked over to her, body bruised and bloodied, and kneeled at her side. Joanna put a hand to the knife on her belt and Jackson looked down as she pulled it from it's hoister throwing his hands up in a sign of no harm. He waited until the woman relaxed before he started to speak. His words came out harsher than he intended but he had to know. "Who are you?"

"I'm none of your business." Joanna pulled herself up, putting more pressure on her right leg since her left was injured.

"You're a hunter and I'm a werewolf, to some extent I kind of have to know." Jackson shrugged a little. "And aside from that you smell familiar and it's sort of starting to bother me." Joanna made a sound in her throat that sounded of disgust and turned to limp away. "Wait." The word was broken the moment it came from his lips. "I...I feel like I know you but I don't and...and I want to know why."

"I can't help you kid, it goes against my very core to even be talking to you right now. " Joanna didn't turn back to Jackson as she started to limp away trying not to let the pain in her left leg get to her.

"Why do we have the same eyes?" Jackson called arms splawing at his sides. Joanna froze and put her head down not wanting to acknowledge him. "Why do I feel this ache in my chest whenever I look at you? Why did I follow your scent from all the way across the woods? Can you explain that to me?"

"Like I said kid, I can't help you." Joanna kept walking away, right pass Aidyn and Rebecca who tried to reach out to her. She kept walking, not seeing Jackson who watched after her or Rebecca who started to weep at losing a second chance with the daughter she never knew.

"Morgan?" Jackson looked back and saw Allison leaning over Morgan.

"What's wrong?" He called back already done with this day.

"She's not..she's not breathing!" Allison's hair whipped to one side when she turned to look at Jackson. Stiles and Scott had already ran over to her and Derek was taking his time to get there. "I can't get her to wake up!" Jackson's eyes went wide and he ran over already starting to freak out.

"What do you mean you can't get her to wake up, she was fine a few minutes ago." Jackson knelt down next to Morgan's head on the side that Allison wasn't occupying.

"When we had got that thing out of Lydia she looked a little exhausted but she said that she was okay and to go to Scott, then when I looked back she was slumped against the wall not breathing." Allison moved hair away from her ear to lean down and check Morgan's heartbeat. "I can hear her heart but it's really low. Someone call an ambulance!"

"And what, explain to them about the mess here and the body on the floor with bite marks in it? That's a great idea." Jackson looked up at the others who were standing around Morgan now. "We should get her out of here before we do anything."

"I don't think you should move her." Danny looked over Stiles' shoulder worry painted across his face. "It's never a good idea to move someone when they have a low heartbeat, anything could go wrong."

"So what are we supposed to do, just call the paramedics and tell them about why we're in a crypt in the middle of the night that looks like a warzone, that can't be our only option." Jackson searched the faces of his friends.

"She could die, Jackson!" Scott gestured at Morgan looking Jackson in the eye.

"And we could go to jail because we just killed someone!" Jackson glared back at Scott adamant that calling the paramedic would be a bad idea. Morgan started to stir, eyes fluttering open at the noise.

"Morgan?" Allison looked her over and brought a hand to her face. Jackson and Scott stopped their bickering and everyone turned their attention to the girl dressed in all black. "Can...can you hear me?"

"Yeah." Morgan's voice was barely a whisper. "Tell Jackson and Scott to stop arguing, they're both idiots." There was a sigh of relief and nervous laughs were passed around. Morgan looked up into the faces of her friends happy that they were all okay. "It's over you guys. It's all over." Everyone looked around and the relief in the room was palpable as smiles were shared and hugs were given. Allison helped Morgan to her feet giving her a hug and they were both enveloped in Scott's arms.

Derek took a step back from the love fest, he wasn't big into hugs and he sure enough did not feel like being caught up in that flurry of teen emotion. Jackson looked on as Stiles joined in, then Lydia hesitantly. Chris and Victoria stood back and let the kids have their moment of relief after going through a hailstorm for the past few weeks. Victoria leaned into Chris as they watched their daughter smile for the first time in the last few weeks while she was pressed into the pile of friends.

"Come on, Chris." Victoria hooked a finger in Chris' belt loop and started to pull him away and up the stairs.

"I think we should stay, I don't want her going home with that boy." Chris looked over his shoulder at Scott but let Victoria keep pulling him.

"She's a big girl and we have to trust her, and if we're lucky she'll be gone long enough for us to share a little love ourselves." Chris swallowed hard when he saw that small gleam in his wife's eyes that he's come to either love or fear.

"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be fine. We should, um, we should get going." Chris let Victoria lead him up the stairs and out of the crypt. "Yeah, she'll be fine."

Rebecca watched Chris and Victoria leave and she let herself sag from exhaustion into Aidyn. "We should leave too. Joanna is gone and doesn't want anything to do with us, the witch is dead and everything is over."

"Where do you want to go?" Aidyn held Rebecca up with a firm hand on her waist.

"Anywhere. I've lost my daughter again, so anywhere is better than here." Rebecca leaned off of Aidyn and started to walk away. "We really messed up, and I don't want to have to be here with everything that's happened." Aidyn said nothing, he just followed behind her never taking his hand off her waist.

The group broke up and paired off; Scott held Allison close pressing his nose into her neck inhaling her soft cottony scent, and sighed. "I'm happy that everything's over. All I want to do now is spend time with you and not have to remember any of this."

"Yeah." Allison let Scott wrap her in his arms. "It's good to have Lydia back to normal, her and Stiles are together now and..." Allison paused remembering the conversation she had with Danny. She looked around and saw Danny standing out of the way while Lydia and Stiles held each other smiling after everything. She was about to pull away from Scott to go see if Danny was okay but Morgan had beat her to it.

"Danny?" Morgan hesitated when she reached him. She could see the hurt in his eyes the way he watched Stiles and Lydia whisper to each other stealing kisses between words. When he looked at her he put on a smile and she felt her heart break. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Danny's smile was earnest but his eyes were weary. "I should be asking if you're okay, you had us scard there for a minute."

Morgan smiled slightly and shook her head. "No, I should have warned you guys, sometimes when I use a lot of power I kind of zonk out for a little bit. I always end up fine but it's annoying. I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine. After everything that's happened I don't think I could handle it if you ended up dead too." Danny shrugged his shoulders a little. "So what are you going to do now, I mean your mom's dead, that's got to be rough."

"You know, it should be but I can't feel sad about it. Maybe it's because it just happened or something and I'll feel it tomorrow but, all I feel right now is relief. It's like I can finally let myself relax and not worry about anything I do." Morgan looked over at the two couples and bit her lip before continuing to speak. "I saw you looking at Stiles. Do...do you..."

"No, I don't feel like talking about it." Danny cut her off, his words coming out bitter. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that it's just, I'm tired of it all. He's happy now and that's all I care about."

"But you're in..." Morgan lowered her voice. "But you're in love with him Danny, you can't just ignore something like that."

"I can." Danny put his hands in his pockets and stood up straight. "It's one of the things you learn to do growing up gay. You fall in love with people you can't have and then you have to watch them in the arms of someone else, it'll just be another memory after a while. I'll be fine." He wouldn't though, it hurt to see Stiles holding Lydia that way but, on some level, he knew that something like this would happen. Stiles wouldn't want him the way he wanted him and no matter how much he wanted it, he and Stiles couldn't be together. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Look, I'm going to go sit in the car, I'm starting to feel a little lightheaded, it must be all the dust in here or something."

"Yeah sure, go ahead." Morgan wanted to put a hand on his back but he was out of reach before she could finish her sentence. She watched Danny walk by Lydia and Stiles and then by Scott and Allison who looked up after him. Someone always gets hurt, Morgan thought to herself, and it's always the nice ones who do.

 

Alternate ending 1:

.com/post/23469447370/the-is-the-first-reader-requested-alternate-ending

 

Alternate ending 2:

.com/post/23469495761/this-is-the-second-reader-requested-alternate

 

Alternate ending 3:

.com/post/23469517304/this-is-the-third-alternate-ending-to-my-teen

 

Allison watched Danny walk up the stairs before she pulled away from Scott. "Hey, um, I have to go talk to Stiles real quick." She rested her arms on his and looked him in the eye, and he looked back eyes squinted wanting to know what was going on.

"Does this have anything to do with Danny liking Stiles, because I thought that was over with." Scott still held on to Allison who shook her head.

"No, I don't think something like that just goes away. I'm gonna send Lydia over here, can you keep her busy while Stiles and I speak?" She looked at him over her eyebrows a little.

"Yeah...yeah, I'll talk to her about something." Scott looked a little confused about why he would have to keep Lydia busy but he's learned to never wuestion Allison about things like this. Allison squeezed his arm once and then walked over to Lydia and Stiles who were holding hands while they talked about some of the things that happened while Lydia was out of it. Stiles turned from where he and Lydia had been talking to Lyida when he saw Allison walk up.

"...And then you jumped out the window, it was crazy. Oh, hey Allison." Stiles saw the worried face that Allison had and intstanstly his mood changed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing's really wrong. I just wanted to, um, talk to you a little. Lydia, can you give ua a minute?" Allison wanted to reassure Stiles without making it so that Lydia would be interested in what they were talking hoped that Stiles would get the hint she was about to give him. "I just need to ask him about this thing we were talking about earlier."

"What thing?" Stiles didn't catch on and he saw that Allison really wanted to speak to him in private.

"That thing about that person, remember? From earlier when we were in your room?" Allison swore that if he couldn't get it now she was going to tell Danny to just give it up anyway. Stiles furrowed his brow when he looked at her and Allison was almost certain che could see the gears turning in his head. She chuckled a little when his face lit up and then looked at Lydia seriously.

"Yes, you're right. Lydia, Allison and I need a moment, can you go keep Scott busy he looks a little lost." Stiles nodded over to where Scott had been standing looking a bit like a lost puppy at where they were talking.

"Ugh! McCall is so lucky I feel greatful to him right now." Lydia shook her head and walked over to Scott telling him not to slouch.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Stiles looked over from Lydia and Scott and into Allison's eyes.

"Seriously? You didn't get what I was trying to tell you?" Allison looked at him in disbelief.

"No, I knew you wanted to speak in private...that's about it." Stiles blinked.

"You know what, that doesn't even matter," Allison exhaled holding a hand up between them. "I was talking about Danny..."

"Oh! Danny!" Stiles ducked a little when Allison hushed him and Lydia looked back at them from where she was still talking to Scott about something. "I almost forgot...is he upset? Did he say anything? Is he upset?"

"You asked that already, and I don't know. He looked really heartbroken when you told Lydia that you loved her and he's just been sitting there watching you two...it really is heartbreaking." Allison looked at Stiles running a hand through her hair a little exasperated. "I don't know what you plan to do, but I think you should at least talk to him."

"Yeah." Stiles took a step back nodding his head more to himself than to Allison. "I really do...I mean, I really do." Stiles bit his lip as he walked pass Allison and out of the crypt completely forgetting about Lydia in his cloud of thought.

"Stiles...Stiles." Lydia called after him but he just kept walking. "Stiles I'm calling you." She started following Stiles and Scott just looked at Allison desperately when she walked around his arm.

Stiles caught up with Danny on his way out of the cemetary. "Danny...Danny wait." The taller boy stopped looking back at Stiles with eyes that were heavy with sadness but he pulled a smile on anyhow.

"Hey Stiles, what's up?" His tone was cheery but he was almost to tears and he hated that.

"Why did you leave like that?" Stiles searched his face finding sadness behind his earnest smile.

"Oh, you looked busy and I really just had to get some fresh air." Danny shook his head looking at Stiles. "I was starting to get a little lightheaded in there, it must be all the dust or something."

"It was me and Lydia, wasn't it?" Stiles' honesty caught him off guard. Danny looked him in the eyes and he could see the honesty in him, he knew it was Lydia and he felt sorry for it.

"No, don't...don't say that. Don't...don't say that." Danny shook his head trying to find the right words. "I...I just need to...um, I need to just not let myself get...I don't know. I'm sorry Stiles...I am." He pressed a hand to his forehead and let it run through his hair. "I'm sorry Stiles, you shouldn't be out here, you should be with Lydia right now."

"Why are you apologizing?" Stiles took a step closer to Danny. "There's no reason for you to be sorry?"

"I think...Hi, Lydia." Danny waved tiredly at Lydia and Stiles swirled around looking at his...what is she to him?

"Hey Lydia, I was just getting ready to come..." Stiles was cut off.

"Hey, what are you guys doing?" Lydia blinked looking the boys in the eye.

"I was just telling Stiles how he should be happy to have you." Stiles looked at Danny while he lied. "I told him that you get a little cranky when you haven't had your coffee, and that even though you hide it you're really smart. I told him that he should treat you good or I'll have to rough him up a bit." Danny wore a pained smile as he jokingly nudged Stiles in the side.

"You were?" She turned to Stiles who looked at Danny immediately nodding.

"Everyone knows that I've been crazy about you ever since third grade, and Danny here was just telling me about how happy he was that we're together now." Stiles hung an arm around Danny's neck and gave him a really cheesy smile.

Danny looked at Stiles and felt the pang he felt in his chest he heard at the words "I love you" all over again when Stiles wasn't saying them to him. "Yeah, I always said that you guys would be great together...even if I didn't say it to you Lydia." Danny laughed but the sound was bitter in his throat. "I'm happy you guys have each other now.

"Are you guys ready to go?" They all looked over at where everyone else was walking out of the cemetary. Allison was still talking to them as she walked to her car. "Did you...guys have a moment?"

"Not quite really." Danny looked down at Lydia who was looking at Allison with pursed lips. "But I was just telling Lydia about how I'm happy that her and Stiles are together now. Don't you think it's wonderful that after all of Stiles' pining they have each other?"

Allison looked at Danny wondering what he was talking about then she just started nodding. "Yeah, Scott always talks about how Stiles used to have a picture of you in his..."

"And that's my cue to go my car." Stiles said clapping his hands. "Are you coming, Lydia?" He held a hand out to her and she took it smiling.

"Fine, I'll come but I'm not done hearing about how amazing I am." Lydia sauntered off over to Stiles' car only looking back once, seeing Allison and Danny talking hurriedly.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Allison looked back making sure Lydia couldn't overhear them.

"I couldn't do it." Danny whispered back. "I don't want to let how I feel mess up their thing."

"But you can't just sit around and..."

Danny cut her off his words more pained than when he had to lie to Lydia. "And do what Allison? It's not like we would've been together anyway. He doesn't like guys and I always do this to myself. I just want to leave them alone to be...I don't know, happy together." Danny looked over Allison's shoulder at Stiles and Lydia who were playing with each others' hands while everyone else figured out the seating arrangements. "Look at that, it's almost too precious to want to ruin. I can't do this to them...I can't mess them up because of me."

Allison shook her head. "Can't you just...? Can't you... Danny you..." She stopped talking when Danny just shook his head with a somber look.

"Let's just leave this alone, Allison. I just want to get home, get some rest, and pretend like I never felt anything." Danny looked at her with eyes that were beyond tired and shook his head.

"Fine." Allison threw her hands up and Scott wrapped his arms around her. "I'll just keep my mouth shut."

"So I take it that you didn't tell Stiles how you feel." Scott looked over her shoulder from where he had been hugging Allison from behind.

"No, I started apologizing and before I could go any further Lydia walked over and well..." Danny trailed off. Morgan walked over and Stiles pulled up hanging out his Jeep.

"If you guys are done with this little powwow I think the general consensus is that everyone just wants to go home. Scott, if I were you I'd try to think of a way to talk your mom down from her fit of worry." He looked from face to face but lingered on Danny. "So I'll see you guys tomorrow then, we can talk about this after we've all rested a bit."

"Yeah, I think that would be best." Morgan spoke up next to Danny. "And Allison, you might want to give it a little while before you go home."

Allison cocked her head to one side and a puzzled look fell across her face. "Why?"

"Let's just say that your parents are having a little alone time." They all shivered a little at the mental image.

"Are you guys following me back or...?" Stiles looked at Scott who then looked at Alllison.

"Yeah, we'll follow you." They all got in the car, Scott in the passenger seat with Morgan and Danny in the back. Stiles waited for them to get in before he pulled off and they started following him back to their side of town.

"So, now that we've all had a little rest, does anyone want to talk about what happened yesterday?" Stiles looked at all of the still tired faces that were in the remnants of Derek's living room; Derek still pouty but wearing a white shirt for a change, Jackson still looking a little nervously over at Lydia but ultimately looking glad to have Derek back, Scott and Allison draped over each other on the dingy couch, Danny standing over by the door not really looking at anyone, Morgan sitting on the floor next to Danny looking slightly less grim than usual, and Lydia with her hair freshly washed and her outfit clean and pressed standing next to him. "I think, given everything that happened yesterday, we kind of owe it to ourselves and to each other to try and dissect this."

"I don't want to dissect anything, I didn't want to in biology and I don't want to now. We're all fine, so does it matter what happened yesterday?" Jackson unfolded his arms as the attention turned to him and looked around the room. "We've dealt with Amara, Lydia's back to normal...well, normal for Lydia, and we have Derek back so...Why should we have to dissect anything?" He passed over the faces in the room and stopped when he looked at Morgan.

"What?" Morgan looked Jackson in the eye when she felt the attention of the room shift to her. "I don't really care to talk about anything. I just..."

"You watched your mother get killed, Morgan." She looked up at Danny from where he was looking down to her, his voice was soft almost like a whisper. "I think if anyone here should want to talk about this it's you. I know you don't really like to talk about anything personal but this isn't something you should just bottle up, you have to talk about this."

"Danny, I don't think you should be telling me about anything that I have to talk about." She pushed against the wall pulling herself up looking at the group. Her arms dangled awkwardly at her side as she looked at Danny and then over to Stiles before letting her eyes float over the gathered group of misfits. "I know that I saw my mother get killed by Derek, and yes I know I should feel bad about it. Honestly, last night I tried to be sad about it, I did, but all I could do was smile because she's gone. I don't have to look over my shoulder and watch every single thing I do. And when I told my dad, yeah he was sad but, he knew how bad she treated me and he told me that she treated him almost as bad. We're both relieved that she's gone, and I know that might make me sound like a bad person but I really am happy that she's dead." She exhaled and looked into the faces of her friends expecting judgement but received nothing but blank stares that couldn't comprehend where she was coming from.

"I don't think it makes you sound like a bad person." Jackson looked at Morgan with quiet eyes and for the first time in a long time she felt that her and Jackson had an understanding.

"Well can someone tell me what all the weirdness was between Danny and Stiles last night?" The color washed from Danny's face when Derek looked him in the eyes. Derek looked around the room honestly expecting some sort of answer. "Seriously, because that car ride home with Danny was a little overwhelming. Danny, I think you really need to learn how to control your hormones or something because I almost gagged with all your angst. Do you like Stiles, yes or no?"

Danny swallowed hard when all eyes were on him waiting for an answer. Was this really how he was going to tell Stiles how he felt, he had always pictured it being a little more personal and not with so many eyes watching him, all waiting for an answer that really didn't concern them.

"I don't think he has to answer that now, not like this." Danny looked over when Lydia spoke up looking Derek clear in the eye. "We're not here to talk about that, and I think it'll be best if we all just left because we've all had a hard couple days. Derek, it's none of your's or anyone else's business who Danny is in love with..."

"Love?" Stiles whispered as he looked from Lydia to Danny.

"...and like I said, we're not here to talk about that. We gave Morgan the option to talk about her mother's death and she expressed to us that she was relieved. I think we should just respect that, and leave her and her father alone to grieve in their own way. If we have to talk about this again, it can be tomorrow at school when we all have some semblance of normal back into our lives. Is that okay wth everyone?" Lydia blinked as she looked at all the faces in the room, most of which were stunned a little at her assertiveness over the situation. Morgan looked at Lydia who met her eye and winked a little (Morgan would deny it if she had to but she made sure that Lydia kept some of her persuasive powers, she thought it would be good for her). "Well?" Lydia looked at them harder now still wanting an answer, and got it in the form of mumbled agreements as everyone got up to leave the house.

Derek raised an eyebrow at Lydia who just tapped her foot with her eyebrow raised at him. "I'm not leaving Lydia, this is my house."

"I wasn't asking you to leave your house, I just wanted to know what made you think it would be okay to ask a question like that now." Lydia folded her arms and continued speaking in hushed tones to Derek. "Danny's had it rough for a long time and him coming out and talking about his emotions has always been hard for him. And for you, to just show up as Mister Big Ol' Alpha and think it's okay to ask something as bluntly as you did and expect a simple 'yes or no' answer is beyond me. Now I know we don't really know each other, but I think you should be a little more considerate before you start asking questions like that. I don't know you, but I know Danny and I know that he deserves a bit more discretion than what you just tried to do." The glare that Lydia fixed Derek with caused the alpha to take a perfunctory step back. "I know you haven't had it all sunshine and lollipops but Danny here is still a young heart that's been broken too many times, and I'll be damned if I have to see him crying again because you went all raging bull trying to find a solution to a situation that isn't even yours."

Derek swallowed and nodded only slightly. "Whatever, I gave up with all this angst and longing a long time ago. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, I'd hate to see you get a stain on your little skirt." Lydia shot daggers at him before pivoting on her heels and walked out the door.

Stiles watched as Danny made his way over to Jackson's Porsche while he whispered to Lydia when she caught up to him on his way to his car. "What did you mean that Danny doesn't have to talk about who he loves? Is Danny in love with me?"

"I never said that." Lydia fixed her bag on her arm and fluffed her hair.

"You said that Danny doesn't have to talk about who he loves, and you weren't talking about me? I mean, come on, even Derek's noticed the weirdness between us yesterday." He looked over the hood of his car at Lydia.

"Derek noticing something isn't all that groundbreaking. Even when I was still dealing with that demon I knew that Danny liked you, and I knew that he had started hanging out with you guys more so you two could be friends, but I never said that he was in love with you." Lydia opened the car door and got in leaving Stiles with a confused look on his face.

"But that makes no sense, why would you say something like that if you didn't mean me? Is Danny in love with someone else? Is love really the right word to be using for this? Why do I feel so lost?" Stiles was so cunfused that Lydia almost felt sorry for him.

"That's because you're a boy, and even though you're smart you're still pretty dumb when it comes to things like this." Lydia looked over at Stiles in the driver's seat and patted him on the knee. "Start the car, I have a mani/pedi appointment that I am in dire need of...and then I want you to help me pick out an outfit for school tomorrow, and then you're taking me to a late lunch." Stiles just sighed as he started the car and pulled off headed to the Korean place that Lydia insists is the best one in Beacon County.

"Are you upset?" Danny's voice was softer than he intended when he looked over at Jackson.

"Why would I be upset?" Jackson didn't take his eyes off the road as he sped home.

"Because...Stiles."

"Why would I be upset over that?" Jackson breathed through his nose and shook his head clenching his jaw. "Listen, I'm your best friend, and even though Stiles is one of the most annoying people I've ever met, it doesn't change the fact that I will always, always, want nothing but the best for you. I don't know if Stiles is a catch but, I've seen you do worse and I think if you were just outright with your feelings for him -what ever they may be- you wouldn't feel this need to ask me if I'm upset. I'm always going to support you no matter who you fall for, and I want you to understand that that's never going to change." Jackson looked over at Danny whose eyes were a little watery but he didn't let a tear fall. "Now stop looking like that and get up the nerve to tell him how you feel next time you see him. I refuse to have to put you together if your heart gets broken again."

"You better tell him." Jackson leaned against the locker next to Danny's while he was putting books in his locker. "You better tell him, I'll get Lydia on you. We talked about this last night and she wants you to talk to him too, and he wants you to talk to him."

Danny closed his eyes and his locker sighing. "You know you putting pressure on me like this isn't going to help at all...if anything it's making me more nervous."

"Nervous?" Jackson chuckled a little when Danny turned back to look at Stiles who was waving his arms wildly at some joke he was tell Lydia and the rest of them. "You took your ex...you took a guy to the school dance and you say you're nervous now? Danny, I don't think you have to worry about anything that Stiles has to say to you. He's stupid but he's not dumb, and from what I get, he wants the two of you to sit down and actually talk about this. Upp! Here he comes, I gotta go." Jackson turned on his heels and made his way through the crowd of teenagers with the practiced precision of a dolphin in water.

"Jackson wait..." Was all Danny could get out before he heard someone clear their throat and turned to look Stiles dead in the soft brown eyes. "Hey Stiles," he pulled on a nervous smile as the other boy stood there looking at him.

"Danny, can we talk?" Danny's heart sank at those words because he had been on the receiving end of them so many times that if hurt to count.

"Sure." He nodded his head nervously and waved a hand leading Stiles in the direction of the back exit that would take them to the lacrosse field.

Neither Stiles nor Danny said anything as they walked through the sea of heads and out the back exit, walking clear pass any of the watchful eyes of the school gossips or the edgy kids who think smoking behind school sets them apart from any other teenaged cliche. Danny let Stiles lead him under the bleachers to the spot where Morgan had been sitting not a few days before, waiting for him. Taking a seat and folding his legs Indian style he patted the soft ground next to him and looked up at Danny waiting for him to sit down. Danny sat down with a shaky breath trying to prepare himself for which ever way this conversation would go.

"Danny." Stiles' voice was hushed and Danny wasn't sure but he thinks he heard Stiles' voice shake.

"No, you shouldn't speak first this time." Danny stopped him, thinking about the other night. "You always started the conversations, I should start now...it's only right. You want to ask me about how I feel about you, you had tried to before but I just choked up when it came time for me to speak and I don't want that to happen this time. Let me just say what I have to say and then you can say whatever it is you have to, okay?" He looked up at Stiles who just closed his mouth and waited for him to continue. "Stiles, I do...I do like you but, I know that we could never be together. You're in love with Lydia, and you have been for as long as I've known you, and now that you two have each other I don't want to let my emotions get in the way. I guess they kind of are now, hunh? I wish I could be with you, I really do but..."

"But what," Stiles cut him off. "Why do you do that? Why do you always second guess or put yourself down like you don't deserve whatever it is you want? Danny, remember when I had asked you if you had feelings for me, do you remember that night?"

"Yeah." Danny's tone was obvious but he tried to bring it back given the situation. "Of course I remember, it was the first ever that my father looked at me and knew that I wasn't just some teenager driven by his hormones."

"Well that night, when we were all headed over to the cemetary Jackson asked me if I had any feelings for you...and I didn't know. Then when we were there and Amara had you in her hands all I could think about was how much I wanted to hold you and keep you safe at that moment. All I wanted was for you to be somewhere away from that; from pycho witches or possessed teen girls, I just wanted you to be home watching movies on the couch...with me." Stiles looked Danny in the eye wanting to convey just how much he wants Danny to be happy and with someone who wants to see him happy. "I don't know why I took so long to say this, I just...I don't know."

Danny laughed softly to himself and shook his head in modest deibelief. "Stiles I...?" Danny was caught completely off-guard when Stiles closed the distance between them and sealed their lips together. His eyes were wide as Stiles moved into him but a soft moaning was coming from his lips, he relaxed and let himsef melt into the kiss. Closing his eyes he pulled Stiles to him, holding him as their mouths pressed together softly breaking a little but coming together again. Danny could feel Stiles' tongue wanting more and he opened up to let him in. A soft moan came from his lips as he and Stiles' tongues danced together, exploring, tasting and wanting, never in his life has Danny been kissed like this and a soft whine came from him when Stiles pulled away.

"I'm sorry," Stiles looked down bitting his bottom kiss swollen lip and rubbing the back of his neck. "I just...I really wanted to do that."

Danny almost melted where he sat when Stiles looked up at him through his lashes, he laughed softly to himself and shook his head in disbelief. "You don't have to apologize. That was...that was amazing." There was a beat between them, pregnant with longing looks and licked lips, before they were leaning into each other slowly this time; brown eyes meeting brown eyes, brown eyes looking at soft lips, soft lips pressing into soft lips. A small smile was on Danny's lips when they kissed again and Stiles' heart fluttered when he felt it against his. Carefully he put a hand on the side of Danny's face and pressed deeper into the kiss, letting Danny devour him with his wanting, his need, and everything they left unsaid between the both of them.

Stiles pulled away to catch a breath but then there were catcalls and whistles, and he pressed his eyes tighter together not wanting to look up. "Danny, please tell me that's not who I think it is." He kept himself from pressing into Danny's shoulder but the smile on his lips betrayed him more than the small laugh that came from Danny.

"If I say yes, will that change anything?" Danny pulled back to look Stiles in the eye already preparing himself for another let down.

Stiles opened his eyes looking over at their friends who watched them through the gap between the bleachers, just one row of eyes; Jackson's gray/blue eyes next to Lydia's green brown, and Scott's dark brown eyes next to Allison's honey brown and Morgan's green/gray. What sounded like stiffled laughter floated over to Stiles' ears and he looked Danny in the eye.

"No, it won't change anything." Stiles' smile reached his eyes and he held Danny's hands searching his face and finding only relief and happiness.

"Finally!" Jackson came around the corner to pull both of them up into a hug. "I'm hapy you guys figured this out and I'm happy that Lydia owes me five bucks."

Danny leaned away from Jackson to look his friend in the face. "You bet on us?"

"Well actually, I bet on you." He nodded over to where Lydia and the rest of the group was waiting for them on the other side of the bleachers. "Lydia said you'd do it at the end of the day, and I bet her that it'd happen before school let out, and I'm glad to see that you didn't disappoint." Danny fixed Jackson with a look that bordered on annoyed. "But I'm really happy that you and Stiles have figured something out, and that we don't have to worry about you being all mopey all the time."

"Wait, Jackson..." Danny stopped Jackson and let Stiles walk over to Scott and the rest of them. "Listen, we haven't figured anything out, and I don't know what that was that just happened but..."

"But nothing," Jackson cut him off. "I saw you guys and you looked like you really enjoyed that kiss or am I imagining the um..." Jackson motioned down between them and Danny looked down blanching as he adjusted himself. "And really, isn't not being able to figure out something like this worth it all? I mean, how boring would it be if you had all the answers right now?"

Danny looked over at Lydia who was swallowing Stiles up in a hug with a bright smile. "But what about Lydia, isn't she going going to be upset?"

"Upset over what, she wants you two to be together. Listen, Lydia is scary smart and she had all of this figured out before any of us...actually, I'm convinced she had it figured out before you did." Jackson clapped a hand on Danny's shoulder and leaned into his friend. "Don't worry about any of this, we all want you two to be together and we'll be here with you both to help you guys figure it out. We love you guys." Danny gave a breathy smile when he looked Jackson in the eye, not many people give him credit for how good a person he was despite some of the less than ideal things he's done.

"Thanks Jackson." Danny's smile reached his eyes and he was truly grateful to have a friend like Jackson in his life.

"Eh whatever, now get over there and give that boy some lovin'." Jackson playfully pushed Danny over to Stiles and stood back with Scott while the two boys spoke affectionately with each other.

"So, it looks like our best friends are dating, does this mean we're friends now?" Scott put his hands in his pockets and looked over at Jackson leaning back a little.

"No, it just means that I'll have to tolerate you a little more now. You're still a dumbass." Jackson looked at Scott from the corner of his eye, Lydia and Allison walked over to them smiling to themselves.

"Looks like there was a happy ending here after all." Lydia turned to look over at Stiles and Danny.

"Yeah, I guess...so who's gonna tell Derek?" Jackson asked noncommitally.

"I'll do it." Morgan spoke up from where she had been watching it all from the bleachers. "Besides, he and I have some unfinished business." They all turned to look at her.

"What unfinished business could you and Derek have?" Allison crossed her arms looking at Morgan.

"Nothing in particular, just some stuff back when he called me a liar is all." There was sly grin on Morgan's lips that uncomfortably reminded them all of the ones that Amara used to have when she said this, and they weren't sure but they could swear they felt a drop in the temperature.

The end.

A/N:It's so weird for me to have finished this, I never finish anything. I know there are mistakes and I know I spelled "cemetEry" wrong but all in all I'm happy with this story. I want to thank all of you who have read it and reviewed and submitted your awesome ideas for the story. I want to thank the fandom and Teen Wolf for being awesome but mostly, I want to say that I appreciate that people enjoyed what I wrote. I hope to write something more for the fandom soon. Thank you.

~Damian

P.S.

I want to thank DjDarkPixie for suggesting this ending. I know it's cheesy and I didn't do your idea justice but I'm still gonna do that Jackson/Derek fic you prompted. Thanks a lot. :)

P.P.S.

Thank you to OrionAstro for the endings they suggested, I hope I did you proud because I was really stuck with the one I talked to you about. Thank you too. :)


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